tax base

noun

: the wealth (such as real estate or income) within a jurisdiction that is liable to taxation

Examples of tax base in a Sentence

an area with a large tax base

Recent Examples on the Web

When the cognitive economy slows, metros built around it feel the shock first — in hiring, office demand and eventually the tax base. —Stuart Loren, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026

People moving away, a shrinking tax base, and long-term pension liability are also causing Illinois to grow more slowly than other states. —Lauren Victory, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026

Further, even if a state does lose a net number of millionaires, that does not guarantee a net decrease in the total tax base, the size of which depends on the relative wealth and numbers of those who stay and leave. —Christopher Marquis, Time, 18 Feb. 2026

Cooper City does not have a large commercial or industrial tax base. —Lisa Mallozzi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tax base

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase

Legal Definition

tax base

noun

1

: a sum (as the total assessed valuation of property in a county) used as the basis of taxation

2

: the source of tax revenue for a governmental body

change the tax base of a school district to reduce the property tax burden