The Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College has published a new report titled Rising Rates: How Local Measures Have Reshaped Sales Taxes in Southern California. The report compares local sales taxes in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, describes how these rates have changed since 2016, and notes which cities and counties are asking voters for increases in 2026.
Sales tax rates have climbed across the region, but at different speeds. Across 174 cities and four unincorporated county areas in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, the average combined rate is 9.55% as of October 2026, up from 8.57% in 2016. Most of this increase has occurred in Los Angeles County, where a countywide measures, city-level increases, and legislative waivers of the state’s 2% cap on local taxes have lifted rates to at least 10.25% in every jurisdiction in the County, and as high as 11.75% in some cities. In the other three counties, most cities charge rates between 7.75% and 8.75%, with none exceeding 9.25%.
The pace of change is not slowing down. Voters approved 12 of 14 local sales tax ballot measures between March and June 2026. At least 16 more measures will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
The report, prepared by Rose Institute researcher Keith Maben, draws on rate tables from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for every city and incorporated area in the region, along with ballot information from local election administrators. It also reviews policy options that other jurisdictions have adopted or proposed in response to rising rates, including caps on the tax applied to big-ticket purchases, tax rebates to businesses, and tax credits for lower-income households.
Rose Institute Director Ken Miller said, “Local governments rely heavily on sales tax revenues to fund their budgets, so it’s understandable they want to raise these rates. But rising sales taxes are also an important factor contributing to Southern California’s extraordinarily high costs. This report shows how different jurisdictions are striking that balance.”
The report is available at https://roseinstitute.cmc.edu/.
Media contact: Ken Miller, J.D., Ph.D., Director, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, kmiller@cmc.edu, 909-607-7575.
About the Rose Institute of State and Local Government
The Rose Institute of State and Local Government was founded at Claremont McKenna College in 1973. A leading resource for information on California state and local governments, the Rose Institute pursues research projects on elections, government institutions, public opinion, and policy. It also maintains extensive state and local demographic, economic, and political databases. For more than 50 years, the Institute has fulfilled its mission to enhance the education of students at CMC, produce high quality research, and promote public understanding on issues of state and local government, politics, and policy, with an emphasis on California. For more information, visit https://roseinstitute.cmc.edu/.
About Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College is a private, 1,300-student residential liberal arts college located east of Los Angeles in Southern California. Since 1946, the College’s mission has been to prepare students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions. Renowned for its Open Academy commitments to freedom of expression, viewpoint diversity, and constructive dialogue, as well as expertise in economics and government, Claremont McKenna also features an accomplished faculty of scholars and committed teachers in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Students are drawn to the College’s unparalleled offerings, including 11 research institutes and centers; the ability to conduct research one-on-one with faculty; and access to leaders, artists, and visionaries who engage with students at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum. Claremont McKenna is a member of The Claremont Colleges. For more information, visit cmc.edu.