Colorado
D+11 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 110
4.4%
Income Tax
453
Violent Crime / 100K
78.8
Life Expectancy
$545K
Median Home
$1,600
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Get notified when Colorado tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Taxes
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Income Tax
Property Tax
~$2,616/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
SS taxed but up to $24K pension deduction
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Above national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Top tier
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
Top 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Top-25 US airport by passengers
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Highly urban — big city feel
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
8/100K residents — Top tier
Craft Distilleries
Strong spirits scene
Live Music
Denver + Boulder craft scene; Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a bucket-list venue; Underground Music Showcase
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
No gestational limit; state constitutional right
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Commercial casinos limited to Central City, Black Hawk, Cripple Creek. Sports betting launched 2020.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Medically Accurate Required
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Avalon Resort (Loveland) · Valley View Hot Springs (Villa Grove) · Rocky Mountain Naturists
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Hunting & Outdoors
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Colorado's over-the-counter archery elk hunting is world-class. The state has the largest elk herd in North America.
Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Official Season Dates ↗Finding nearby venues...
From r/hunting
What is elk hunting on public land really like?
OTC elk hunt in Colorado. Opening morning, you get up and hike 6-12 miles. You see a toad mule deer, but you don't have a tag. People get lu...
reddit.com ↗
Buying First Hunting Rifle (COLORADO ELK AND DEER)
I'm continuing elk and deer hunting this season in Colorado and looking to purchase my first rifle to have for many years. Looking for all ....
reddit.com ↗
Colorado hunting, feeling discouraged : r/Hunting
You can possibly get a deer and elk tag each year. These animals know when hunting season is. They don't act like they do the rest of the ye...
reddit.com ↗
Planning a November 2016 Elk Hunt in Colorado
Most Years it seems to far in the 2nd to 4th week of November. There are only limited amounts of hunts offered during this time frame. Most ...
reddit.com ↗
Why we recommend them
If you're hunting elk in Wyoming, whitetail in Kansas, or black bear in West Virginia — Ravin builds the most accurate crossbows on the planet. Rifle-like precision at 500 FPS. We're proud to partner with them.
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+2.2% job growth · 3.5% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Top tech job market nationally
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
High remote work culture
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Below avg (-0.15 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Ground-based only in many areas; fire bans can prohibit all fireworks
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 44°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
8.2% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
50% exemption for 100% disabled vets
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Colorado counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Colorado
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
Compare Similar States
CO vs OR
Colorado vs Oregon
COL 110 vs 110 · 4.4% vs 9.9% income tax
Full comparison →
CO vs VT
Colorado vs Vermont
COL 110 vs 111 · 4.4% vs 8.75% income tax
Full comparison →
CO vs ME
Colorado vs Maine
COL 110 vs 107 · 4.4% vs 7.15% income tax
Full comparison →
CO vs CT
Colorado vs Connecticut
COL 110 vs 114 · 4.4% vs 6.99% income tax
Full comparison →
Trending in Colorado
Victor Marks maintains small lead over Barbara Kirkmeyer in Colorado GOP governor primary - Colorado Newsline
Colorado Newsline · Jul 6
Colorado's Republican primary for governor may not be decided until Thursday at the earliest - CBS News
CBS News · Jul 7
Governor Newsom announces deployment of California firefighters and equipment to Colorado, as sister state battles wildfires - California State Portal | CA.gov
California State Portal | CA.gov · Jul 4
A few thoughts on returning home | Hal Bidlack - Colorado Politics
Colorado Politics · Jul 7
Colorado Governor Primary Election Results - The New York Times
The New York Times · Jul 7
What Residents Say
Texans who moved to Colorado, what's your experience ...
I’m in my mid-20s working in the IT industry here in DFW, and I’ve been feeling increasingly boxed in by the urban sprawl and lack of natural scenery. ......
reddit.com ↗
Is cost of living really as bad as I'm seeing people say?
After taxes, benefits, and 6% to 401k, I'm at $2400/mo. Monthly expenses: $1300 rent, $30 electric, $300 car insurance, $250 groceries and ......
reddit.com ↗
Is the cost of living really that bad in the Denver area?
I keep hearing this from some people, that you shouldn’t move to Denver if you’re not ready for a huge COL increase. But from everything I’ve ......
reddit.com ↗
If you were resolved to move to a state with a lower cost of ...
No state income tax or sales tax. However, it does have fairly high property tax, so you don't want to have too much house/land....
reddit.com ↗
Nearly 90 Percent of Coloradans Consider Cost of Living a ...
Those of you thinking of leaving Colorado because of high cost of living, where do you want to move? r/Denver....
reddit.com ↗
would you recommend moving back here?
Moved from the west coast and yes, property taxes are high, but IMO the cost of living all around is less. Housing and gas are cheaper than ......
reddit.com ↗
Stay in Charlotte for $105k or move to Denver for $140k ...
Currently making $106k in Charlotte with really great benefits (including 30 day paid vacation) and yearly bonus of 10 to $15k a year (pretax) working ......
reddit.com ↗
Is it worth moving from beautiful Colorado to Portland?
The income tax is effectively flat at around 4 and a half percent in CO, while hitting 10% at moderate incomes in OR (and then scaling higher ......
reddit.com ↗
Cost of living : r/CastleRock
Total income would be $98k annually. Honest opinions if that is enough to move and live anywhere in Colorado Denver metro? Also as an edit to my ......
reddit.com ↗
Those of you thinking of leaving Colorado because of high ...
I know a lot of us must be considering a move....
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when Colorado tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Colorado Guides
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Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.