(The Center Square) – Wisconsin taxpayers receive some of the best return on investment for the tax dollars compared to the rest of the nation.
A new report from WalletHub, a personal finance company, ranks the Badger State sixth in the country for taxpayer ROI, taking into account things like education, health, safety, economy, infrastructure and pollution.
The group used 29 metrics to measure each state and develop an overall ranking.
“Wisconsin delivers its taxpayers a strong return on their investment, ranking sixth overall in WalletHub’s Taxpayer ROI ranking,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “The state benefits from an eighth-place ranking in government services, meaning residents receive high-quality public benefits relative to what they pay.”
Wisconsin’s school system ranked as the nation’s fifth-best, trailing only Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey. Also, the state ranked second in the country for its public university system.
Wisconsin ranked 20th in total taxes paid per capita. New Hampshire residents pay the lowest per capita, and North Dakota residents pay the highest per capita.
“Wisconsin particularly shines in education, ranking fifth for school quality and second for its public university system. This investment in education likely contributes to long-term economic stability. While Wisconsin’s tax burden ranks 20th, the services it provides, particularly in education, help justify the cost, making it one of the best-value states for taxpayers,” Lupo said.
Overall, according to the report, red states ranked higher than blue states in taxpayer returns.
New Hampshire, Florida, South Dakota, Missouri and Ohio ranked as the top five states for taxpayer ROI, while New Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, California and North Dakota were the worst.
The ROI report follows the group’s annual taxpayer survey, which showed 66% of Americans believe their current tax rate is too high.
That same survey showed that 70% of Americans are currently worried more about inflation than taxes, and 77% believe the rich don’t pay their fair share in taxes.
