How much is a pack of cigarettes in the USA?
The price of a 20-cigarette pack varies significantly across U.S. states and localities due to differences in excise and sales taxes. The average price for a mainstream brand ranges from $7.95 in North Carolina to $14.85 in New York, with a national unweighted average of $10.34. The sales volume-weighted average cigarette price in the USA is approximately $9.95 – slightly lower than the unweighted average due to higher sales volume in states with lower prices.
State excise taxes range from $0.17 per pack in Missouri to $5.35 in New York, with a national average of $2.02. Total state tax burden (combining state excise and sales tax) ranges from $0.61 in Missouri to $5.92 in New York, bringing the national average total state tax to $2.53. The federal tax rate remains $1.01 per pack. Additionally, large manufacturers pay an average of $0.90 per pack to states under Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) payments.
| Rank | State | Average Cigarette Price | Federal Tax | State Excise Tax | State Sales Tax | Total State Tax | Total Tax | Total Tax Rate | Ex-Tax Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | USA | $10.34 | $1.01 | $2.02 | $0.51 | $2.53 | $3.54 | 34.2% | $6.80 |
| 1 | New York | $14.85 | $1.01 | $5.35 | $0.57 | $5.92 | $6.93 | 46.7% | $7.92 |
| 2 | Maryland | $14.17 | $1.01 | $5.00 | $0.80 | $5.80 | $6.81 | 48.1% | $7.36 |
| — | Washington DC | $13.94 | $1.01 | $5.03 | $0.53 | $5.56 | $6.57 | 47.1% | $7.37 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $13.43 | $1.01 | $4.50 | $0.88 | $5.38 | $6.39 | 47.6% | $7.04 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $13.24 | $1.01 | $4.35 | $0.79 | $5.14 | $6.15 | 46.5% | $7.09 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $12.54 | $1.01 | $3.51 | $0.74 | $4.25 | $5.26 | 42.0% | $7.28 |
| 6 | Alaska | $12.37 | $1.01 | $2.00 | — | $2.00 | $3.01 | 24.3% | $9.36 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $12.13 | $1.01 | $3.20 | $0.47 | $3.67 | $4.68 | 38.6% | $7.45 |
| 8 | Washington | $12.13 | $1.01 | $3.03 | $0.74 | $3.77 | $4.78 | 39.4% | $7.35 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $12.10 | $1.01 | $3.04 | $0.74 | $3.78 | $4.79 | 39.6% | $7.31 |
| 10 | Illinois | $11.99 | $1.01 | $2.98 | $0.71 | $3.69 | $4.70 | 39.2% | $7.29 |
| 11 | Vermont | $11.91 | $1.01 | $3.08 | $0.67 | $3.75 | $4.76 | 40.0% | $7.15 |
| 12 | Indiana | $11.87 | $1.01 | $3.00 | $0.83 | $3.83 | $4.84 | 40.8% | $7.03 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $11.86 | $1.01 | $2.60 | $0.67 | $3.27 | $4.28 | 36.1% | $7.58 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $11.75 | $1.01 | $3.00 | $0.73 | $3.73 | $4.74 | 40.3% | $7.01 |
| 15 | California | $11.71 | $1.01 | $2.87 | $0.89 | $3.76 | $4.77 | 40.7% | $6.94 |
| 16 | Oregon | $11.16 | $1.01 | $3.33 | — | $3.33 | $4.34 | 38.9% | $6.82 |
| 17 | Colorado | $11.20 | $1.01 | $2.24 | $0.32 | $2.56 | $3.57 | 31.9% | $7.63 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $10.73 | $1.01 | $2.52 | $0.51 | $3.03 | $4.04 | 37.7% | $6.69 |
| 19 | Arizona | $10.69 | $1.01 | $2.00 | $0.57 | $2.57 | $3.58 | 33.5% | $7.11 |
| 20 | Maine | $10.52 | $1.01 | $2.00 | $0.55 | $2.55 | $3.56 | 33.8% | $6.96 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $10.42 | $1.01 | $2.00 | $0.52 | $2.52 | $3.53 | 33.9% | $6.89 |
| 22 | Utah | $10.16 | $1.01 | $1.70 | $0.58 | $2.28 | $3.29 | 32.4% | $6.87 |
| 23 | Michigan | $10.03 | $1.01 | $2.00 | $0.57 | $2.57 | $3.58 | 35.7% | $6.45 |
| 24 | Nevada | $9.88 | $1.01 | $1.80 | $0.63 | $2.43 | $3.44 | 34.8% | $6.44 |
| 25 | Delaware | $9.61 | $1.01 | $2.10 | — | $2.10 | $3.11 | 32.4% | $6.50 |
| 26 | Ohio | $9.59 | $1.01 | $1.60 | $0.59 | $2.19 | $3.20 | 33.4% | $6.39 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $9.57 | $1.01 | $1.53 | $0.39 | $1.92 | $2.93 | 30.6% | $6.64 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $9.48 | $1.01 | $1.15 | $0.58 | $1.73 | $2.74 | 28.9% | $6.74 |
| 29 | Texas | $9.46 | $1.01 | $1.41 | $0.56 | $1.97 | $2.98 | 31.5% | $6.48 |
| 30 | Kansas | $9.37 | $1.01 | $1.29 | $0.57 | $1.86 | $2.87 | 30.6% | $6.50 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $9.34 | $1.01 | $1.78 | — | $1.78 | $2.79 | 29.9% | $6.55 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $9.26 | $1.01 | $2.03 | — | $2.03 | $3.04 | 32.8% | $6.22 |
| 33 | Montana | $9.22 | $1.01 | $1.70 | — | $1.70 | $2.71 | 29.4% | $6.51 |
| 34 | Virginia | $9.11 | $1.01 | $0.60 | $0.46 | $1.06 | $2.07 | 22.7% | $7.04 |
| 35 | Florida | $9.07 | $1.01 | $1.34 | $0.51 | $1.85 | $2.86 | 31.5% | $6.21 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $8.87 | $1.01 | $1.08 | $0.42 | $1.50 | $2.51 | 28.3% | $6.36 |
| 37 | Iowa | $8.78 | $1.01 | $1.36 | $0.50 | $1.86 | $2.87 | 32.7% | $5.91 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $8.75 | $1.01 | $1.20 | $0.50 | $1.70 | $2.71 | 31.0% | $6.04 |
| 39 | Idaho | $8.65 | $1.01 | $0.57 | $0.49 | $1.06 | $2.07 | 23.9% | $6.58 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $8.63 | $1.01 | $1.10 | $0.49 | $1.59 | $2.60 | 30.1% | $6.03 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $8.57 | $1.01 | $0.60 | $0.33 | $0.93 | $1.94 | 22.6% | $6.63 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $8.56 | $1.01 | $0.64 | $0.45 | $1.09 | $2.10 | 24.5% | $6.46 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $8.50 | $1.01 | $0.57 | $0.48 | $1.05 | $2.06 | 24.2% | $6.44 |
| 44 | Alabama | $8.48 | $1.01 | $0.68 | $0.30 | $0.98 | $1.99 | 23.5% | $6.49 |
| 45 | Georgia | $8.47 | $1.01 | $0.37 | $0.53 | $0.90 | $1.91 | 22.6% | $6.56 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $8.44 | $1.01 | $0.62 | $0.66 | $1.28 | $2.29 | 27.1% | $6.15 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $8.33 | $1.01 | $0.68 | $0.54 | $1.22 | $2.23 | 26.8% | $6.10 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $8.24 | $1.01 | $0.45 | $0.50 | $0.95 | $1.96 | 23.8% | $6.28 |
| 49 | Missouri | $8.03 | $1.01 | $0.17 | $0.44 | $0.61 | $1.62 | 20.2% | $6.41 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $7.95 | $1.01 | $0.45 | $0.50 | $0.95 | $1.96 | 24.7% | $5.99 |
Cigarette prices, excluding tax, vary in a narrower $5.91 – $7.92 range across the States (outside Alaska) with a with a national average of $6.80 per pack. This amount corresponds to the money shared by the retailers, wholesalers (distributors) and manufacturers.
Recent Changes:
(1) Effective July 1, 2024, Colorado raised its state cigarette tax from $1.94 to $2.24 per pack (from 9.7 cents to 11.2 cents per cigarette) under Proposition EE. Concurrently, the tax on non-cigarette tobacco products increased from 50% to 56% of the manufacturer list price, and the minimum tax on moist snuff rose to $1.84 per 1.2 oz. container.
(2) Indiana raised the tax on cigarettes for the first time in nearly 20 years. With an effective date of July 1, 2025, the tax increases in Indiana are as follows: from $0.995 to $2.995 per pack for cigarettes; from 24% to 30% of the wholesale price for other tobacco products; from 40 cents to 50 cents per ounce for moist snuff; from 24% to 30% of the wholesale price with a tax cap raised from $1 to $3 per piece for cigars; from 40 cents to 50 cents per ounce for alternative nicotine products (nicotine pouches); and from 15% to 30% of the wholesale price for vapes. Subsequently, the average cigarette price, including 7% sales tax, increased by 37% from $8.69 to $11.87 for a pack of 20 in Indiana. Minimum retail price for a pack of Marlboro Red and Marlboro Gold is listed as $12.16 before the 7% sales tax. Download the latest price list by cigarette brand in Indiana: Price-list-Indiana.
(3) Effective July 28, 2025, New York State established minimum wholesale and retail selling prices for cigarettes. Moreover, the prepaid sales tax rate on cigarettes was increased to $1.25 for a pack of 20 cigarettes for the period September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. Accordingly, the new minimum retail price for a pack of 20 cigarettes is $15.44 in New York City and $13.77 outside New York City.
(4) Effective August 1, 2025, the state tax was raised from $2.70 to $3.00 for a pack of cigarettes and from 10 cents to 30 cents per milliliter for vape liquid in New Jersey. Subsequently, average cigarette price in New Jersey increased by 3% from $11.41 to $11.75.
(5) Effective January 1, 2026, Hawaii raised its cigarette excise tax from 16 cents to 18 cents per cigarette, increasing the total per-pack state tax burden from $3.20 to $3.60.
(6) Effective January 5, 2026, Maine increased its cigarette excise tax rate from $2.00 to $3.50 per pack—a $1.50 per pack increase representing the state’s first tax hike on cigarettes in two decades. Equivalent percentage tax increases were also applied across smokeless tobacco and other nicotine products.
