Mississippi · MS · Money & taxes
Mississippi: Are groceries taxed?
Taxed at a lower rate
Mississippi taxes groceries at 5%, lower than its 7% general sales tax rate.
Mississippi's general sales tax rate is 7%, and groceries are taxed at a reduced 5%. Groceries are defined as food and drink for human consumption that SNAP benefits can buy, so the lower rate follows SNAP eligibility. Items SNAP does not cover, such as alcohol and hot prepared food, are taxed at the regular rate. The state cut the grocery rate from 7% to 5% in 2025.
What the law says
Sales of groceries (food and drink for human consumption eligible to be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits) ...... 5%
Sources
- Mississippi DOR: Sales Tax Rates Official · dor.ms.gov
- Mississippi HB 1 (2025), as signed Official · billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Mississippi Department of Revenue
- Phone
- (601) 923-7300
- Website
- dor.ms.gov
How bordering states compare
- Alabama Taxed at a lower rateAlabama taxes groceries at a 2% state rate, lower than its 4% general state sales tax rate.
- Arkansas Groceries exemptArkansas ended its state sales tax on groceries on January 1, 2026, but city and county sales taxes still apply.
- Louisiana Groceries exemptLouisiana exempts food for home consumption from its state sales tax, but parish and city sales taxes can still apply.
- Tennessee Taxed at a lower rateTennessee taxes groceries at a reduced 4% state rate, compared with its 7% general state sales tax rate.
All 50 states for this question · Other topics in Mississippi