Sales Tax Calculator, Madison, WI

What shoppers pay in Madison, WI

Madison is a major population centre in Wisconsin, the 2nd most populous city in the state, with roughly 269,840 residents. Wisconsin charges a 5.00% state sales tax, and counties, cities and special districts add their own levies on top. Across the state those local add-ons average 0.44%, bringing the typical combined rate to 5.44%.

Census figures (ACS 5-Year 2023) put median household income in Madison at $76,983, or about $1,480 a week. At the state's typical combined rate, a $500 purchase adds $27.20 in tax, and a $2,000 one adds $108.80. That larger figure works out to roughly 7% of a week's median household income here, which is why timing a big appliance or furniture purchase around a sales tax holiday can be worth the wait.

One caveat matters before you budget from these numbers. The 5.44% above is a statewide average, not a rate we can confirm for a specific Madison address. Because special districts draw their own boundaries, two addresses a few streets apart can fall under different combined rates. For a purchase where the difference matters, check the rate lookup published by the Wisconsin revenue department for the exact delivery address. Groceries are exempt in Wisconsin, so a weekly food shop is not affected.