Uncle Sam and the California Bear. Composite image by the Los Angeles Almanac. Bear image by TIP PDP via PublicDomainPictures.net.
Also see: Federal Income Taxes by Zip Code in Los Angeles County.
In 2018, Los Angeles County paid $78 billion in federal and state personal income taxes. That was more revenue than collected by either the governments of South Africa or New Zealand or 190 other nations.
Money amounts are in thousands of dollars.
| County | Los Angeles County, CA | New York County (Manhattan), NY | Cook County (Chicago), IL | Santa Clara County (San Jose), CA | King County (Seattle), WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Returns | 4,702,060 | 894,310 | 2,529,070 | 934,040 | 1,130,500 |
| Total Income | $389,392,958 | $207,281,648 | $217,244,367 | $161,614,836 | $147,049,166 |
| Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | $384,088,479 | $204,737,230 | $214,621,440 | $160,283,060 | $145,627,813 |
| Taxable Income | $301,451,591 | $185,433,610 | $170,629,458 | $136,604,123 | $122,425,255 |
| Total Income Tax After Credits | $57,267,818 | $45,931,406 | $31,828,477 | $29,807,401 | $24,028,882 |
| Home Mortgage Interest Paid | $10,500,695 | $1,662,040 | $2,982,967 | $3,468,808 | $3,002,998 |
| Total Charitable Contributions | $7,456,667 | $9,148,745 | $4,432,238 | $5,674,560 | $2,698,575 |
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Los Angeles County taxpayers reported more than $7.5 million in charitable contributions in 2018, ranking second only to New York County (Manhattan) at $9.1 million. Los Angeles County ranked first, however, in reporting $10.5 million in mortgage interest payments, more than double that of second-ranked Orange County, California, and third-ranked San Diego County.
| Los Angeles County | Number of Returns | Total Income | Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | Taxable Income | Total Income Tax After Credits | Home Mortgage Interest Paid | Charitable Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of All Federal Personal Income Tax Returns | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.8% | 6.1% | 3.9% |
| Of All Federal Personal Income Tax Returns from California | 25.9% | 23.7% | 23.7% | 23.5% | 24.2% | 24.3% | 23.6% |
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Money amounts are in thousands of dollars.
| Year | Number of Returns | Total Income | Total Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | Taxable Income | Total Income Tax After Credits* | Percent of California's Total Federal Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4,702,060 | $389,392,958 | $384,088,479 | $301,451,591 | $57,267,818 | 24.2% |
| 2017 | 4,699, 360 | $370,175,569 | $364,557,900 | $261,111,603 | $57,627,895 | 24.6% |
| 2016 | 4,638,710 | $341,646,722 | $336,172,190 | $237,274,618 | $51,967,985 | 24.3% |
| 2015 | 4,644,280 | $336,712,583 | $331,317,036 | $234,316,305 | $51,312,723 | 24.5% |
| Year | Number of Returns | Total Income | Total Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | Taxable Income | Total Income Tax After Credits* | Percent of California's Total Federal Income Tax |
| 2014 | 4,563,010 | $315,657,066 | $310,538,656 | $218,096,969 | $47,297,511 | 24.6% |
| 2013 | 4,510,530 | $289,776,982 | $284,888,101 | $195,198,984 | $41,792,518 | 24.8% |
| 2012 | 4,452,130 | --No Data-- | $288,792,866 | $199,458,952 | $40,671,244 | 25.0% |
| 2011 | 4,513,642 | --No Data-- | $263,676,313 | $176,475,849 | $36,276,707 | 25.7% |
* "Total Income Tax After Credits" does not include taxes from recapture of certain prior-year credits, tax applicable to individual retirement arrangements (IRA's), social security taxes on self-employment income and on certain tip income, advanced earned income payments, household employment taxes, and certain "other taxes" listed in the Form 1040 instructions.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Money amounts are in thousands of dollars.
| Year | Number of Returns | Total Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | Total Income Tax Assessed | Percent of State's Total Income Tax Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4,516,237 | $331,342,689 | $20,645,822 | 21.9% |
| 2017 | 4,433,194 | $346,811,236 | $19,724,146 | 22.9% |
| 2016 | 4,427,106 | $322,745,543 | $17,44,240 | 22.6% |
| 2015 | 4,255,233 | $310,621,984 | $16,810,162 | 22.5% |
| Year | Number of Returns | Total Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | Total Income Tax Assessed | Percent of State's Total Income Tax Assessed |
| 2014 | 4,188,276 | $282,946,347 | $14,512,537 | 22.8% |
| 2013 | 4,099,191 | $267,252,031 | $13,466,440 | 23.2% |
| 2012 | 4,033,201 | $269,387,091 | $14,519,899 | 23.6% |
| 2011 | 4,014,635 | $247,542,840 | $11,000,935 | 24.0% |
Source: California State Franchise Tax Board.
Money amounts are in thousands of dollars.
| Income Bracket | Number of Returns | Total Income | Total Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) | Total Taxable Income* | Total Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Income Brackets | 4,702,060 | $389,392,958 | $384,088,479 | $301,451,591 | $57,267,818 |
| Under $1 | 73,480 | -$10,688,101 | -$10,769,347 | $0 | $10,061 |
| $1 - $9,999 | 549,580 | $3,041,473 | $2,928,144 | $32,830 | $3,348 |
| $10,000 - $24,999 | 1,020,760 | $18,005,066 | $17,621,155 | $3,712,427 | $275,473 |
| $25,000 - $49,999 | 1,190,470 | $43,484,767 | $42,913,464 | $22,920,727 | $1,859,529 |
| $50,000 - $74,999 | 627,030 | $38,901,951 | $38,425,457 | $26,387,768 | $2,717,238 |
| $75,000 - $99,999 | 377,410 | $32,995,082 | $32,643,779 | $24,306,592 | $2,959,131 |
| $100,000 - $199,999 | 575,750 | $80,105,722 | $79,168,707 | $63,275,584 | $9,307,641 |
| $200,000+ | 287,580 | $183,546,998 | $181,157,120 | $160,815,663 | $40,135,397 |
* "Total Income Tax After Credits" does not include taxes from recapture of certain prior-year credits, tax applicable to individual retirement arrangements (IRA's), social security taxes on self-employment income and on certain tip income, advanced earned income payments, household employment taxes, and certain "other taxes" listed in the Form 1040 instructions.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
