Galesburg Reporter

Knox County taxpayers paid the 18th largest sum in sales taxes in 2024, according to Illinois tax records.

In total, residents paid just over $11.2 million in sales taxes during 2024.

The county also ranked 18th in the Prairie State the year before, with approximately $10.8 million spent in sales taxes.

The largest share of sales taxes paid by Knox County residents in 2024 came from the County School Facility Tax.

The County School Facility Tax is a local sales tax that funds school construction and repairs. The tax is typically imposed at a rate of up to 1%. Authorized in Illinois in 2007, it has since then been adopted by over 60 counties. The tax is often viewed as a way to support schools without raising property taxes.

A 2025 WalletHub study found that Illinois has the highest overall taxes in the U.S., with rates more than 50% higher than the national average. The study estimates that a median household in Illinois pays an effective tax rate of 16.58%, or about $13,099 per year.

Type of Tax	Amount Collected in Year	% Change From Previous Year
County School Facility Tax	$6,011,795	3.6%
Special County Retailers Occupation Tax	$2,979,344	3.2%
Countywide Sales Tax	$1,781,042	4.8%
County Sales Tax	$447,869	-0.2%