Which Stanislaus County city is the cheapest to shop in? Where sales tax is lowest
For a quick trip to grab adhesive bandages or a roll of tape, a sales tax savings of 1 cent per dollar likely isn’t enough to motivate most Stanislaus County residents to travel to a neighboring city.
But what if you’re making a large purchase, like a piece of furniture? Would you buy it in a town you don’t reside in if you knew the sales tax is lower?
Here’s where it’ll cost a little less when you shop.
Which Stanislaus County city has the lowest sales tax rate?
California’s base sales tax rate is 7.25%. Forty-four cities and counties charge nothing more than the state’s minimum, including Redding, Tuolumne County and San Luis Obispo County.
Stanislaus County’s sales tax rate is 7.875%. This rate applies to unincorporated areas such as La Grange, Denair and Empire.
Five Stanislaus cities charge the same as the county’s rate: Patterson, Newman, Riverbank, Hughson and Waterford. There, as in the unincorporated areas, shoppers pay the lowest in sales tax.
Ceres and Oakdale have the next lowest sales tax rates, at 8.375% — a half-cent atop the county tax. Turlock’s rate is the second highest in the county, at 8.625%.
Modesto has the highest sales tax rate in the county, 8.875% — 1 cent higher than the county’s base. For contrast, the highest sales tax rate in the state is 11.25%, levied in Lancaster and Palmdale.
Why is Modesto’s sales tax rate the county’s highest?
The only sales tax measure that has been passed by voters in Modesto in recent years is Measure H in November 2022, said Sonya Severo, the city’s public relations and legislative affairs manager.
The approved measure increased Modesto’s sales tax rate by 1%, or 1 cent, amounting to $1 more for every $100 spent.
Measure H provides $42 million annually for general government use.
The tax does not have an end date, according to previous Modesto Bee reporting. It would take another election to end the tax.
Measure H funds general city services including police patrols, emergency response, addressing homelessness, trash cleanup and maintenance of public parks, sidewalks, streets and landscapes, according to the city of Modesto’s website, modesto.gov.
This story was originally published February 9, 2026 at 3:25 PM.
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