What is the sales tax rate in Milwaukee?

Milwaukee combines the Wisconsin state sales tax with Milwaukee County and City of Milwaukee local taxes. The combined rate applies to most retail purchases; enter the rate shown on your receipt if it differs from the default.

Are groceries taxed in Milwaukee?

Most unprepared grocery food is exempt from Wisconsin sales tax, as are prescription drugs. Prepared foods, candy, soft drinks, and dietary supplements are generally taxable. Use the exempt toggle for qualifying groceries.

How is the combined rate built up?

It is the sum of the Wisconsin state rate, the Milwaukee County rate, and the City of Milwaukee local rate. Each layer is set independently by its taxing authority, and the receipt shows the single combined figure.

Does the tax apply to shipping?

In Wisconsin, shipping and handling charges on taxable goods are generally taxable, while shipping on exempt items is not. This tool taxes the amount you enter, so include taxable shipping in the pre-tax figure.

Is restaurant food taxed differently?

Prepared food sold by restaurants is fully taxable in Wisconsin, and some areas add a local food and beverage tax. For general retail and restaurant purchases, use the standard combined rate.

Milwaukee Combined Sales Tax Calculator

Milwaukee shoppers pay a combined sales tax stacked from the Wisconsin state rate plus Milwaukee County and City of Milwaukee local rates. This calculator adds the correct combined rate to any purchase and respects Wisconsin’s grocery and prescription exemptions so your total matches the register.

How it works

The combined rate is the sum of three independent layers, applied to taxable goods only:

combined rate = WI state rate + Milwaukee County rate + City of Milwaukee rate
sales tax     = (item is exempt) ? 0 : amount × (combined rate / 100)
grand total   = amount + sales tax

Unprepared groceries and prescription drugs are exempt under Wisconsin law, so the exempt toggle zeroes the tax while still showing the order subtotal.

Example and tips

A 100 purchase of general goods at a combined 5.5% rate carries 5.50 in tax for a 105.50 total. Flag the same order as an exempt grocery and the tax drops to zero. Always read the rate from a recent receipt, since county and city add-ons change over time; the calculator lets you set the exact combined rate so your estimate stays accurate even after a rate update.