Taxes in East Lansing
East Lansing applies Michigan's statewide tax structure -- a real flat 4.25% income tax and a flat 6% sales tax -- alongside East Lansing's own real 1% local income tax and Ingham County's genuinely high property tax rate.
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Learn moreMichigan's flat 4.25% state income tax
Michigan's real, current flat state income tax rate is 4.25%, confirmed unchanged for the 2026 tax year by the Michigan Department of Treasury -- a comparatively simple, low structure relative to many graduated-bracket states.
East Lansing's own real 1% local income tax
The City of East Lansing itself levies a real, current local income tax of 1% for residents and 0.5% for nonresidents who work in East Lansing, in effect since January 1, 2019 -- combining to an approximate 5.25% total rate for resident wage earners. This is the SAME rate structure Lansing itself levies.
Ingham County's genuinely high property tax rate
Ingham County's effective property tax rate carries a real, disclosed spread across sources (1.76%-2.23%), among the highest of any Michigan county -- applying identically to East Lansing as to neighboring Lansing.
Proposal A's real taxable-value cap
A property's taxable value is capped at the lesser of 5% or inflation per year for as long as the same owner holds it, uncapping only at sale or transfer -- producing a real, disclosed gap between a long-time owner's tax bill and a recent buyer's on an identical home.
Key takeaways
- Michigan's flat 4.25% state income tax applies, confirmed unchanged for 2026.
- East Lansing's own 1% resident city income tax combines to approximately 5.25% total for residents.
- Ingham County's effective property tax rate (1.76%-2.23%) is among the highest of any Michigan county.
- Proposal A caps taxable-value growth at the lesser of 5%/year or inflation, uncapped only at sale.
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