ROCKVILLE, Md. — Every county likes to be at the top of the list of the best places to live, but how does your county stack up when it comes to tax rates?
The Montgomery County Council Office of Legislative Oversight reported that when it comes to the tax burden on individuals and businesses, the county comes in third for most income levels.
The OLO report released Tuesday compared the tax burden in six jurisdictions: Montgomery, Howard, Frederick and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, Fairfax County in Virginia, and D.C.
For a family of three at various income levels from $25,000 to $150,000, the report shows that Montgomery County’s tax burden is the third-highest in the region at all levels, except for the $50,000 income level, where Montgomery County comes in fifth.
Fairfax County residents have the highest burden at the $25,000 level, while Frederick County residents top the list at the $150,000 level.
When it came to calculating the tax burden on businesses, the findings are more complex. The report also makes distinctions between businesses that fall under corporate tax levels and those that are “pass-through” entities or limited liability companies.
In calculating the tax burden on businesses, the report also uses figures from a September 2013 document created for the D.C. Tax Revision Commission. That report found that in some cases, taxes are lower for businesses in Montgomery County compared with other jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, Prince George’s County and D.C. But the OLO report also notes that some of the tax rates used in that 2013 report have changed since its publication.
The Montgomery County Council will hold a full briefing on the report July 12.
