Owning in Colorado
Data from January 2026
Property tax in Colorado
The typical owner in Colorado pays $2,602 a year, about 0.48% of the home’s value (0.94% nationwide). Here are the exemptions and discounts the state publishes, the deadlines to claim them or appeal, and every county’s figure.
Key numbers in Colorado
- Typical tax
- $2,602
- per year, typical household
- 17% less than the U.S.
- Effective rate
- 0.48%
- tax ÷ value (estimate)
- 49% less than the U.S.
- United States
- 0.94%
- national effective rate
- Exemptions and relief
- 2
- published by the state, with the source
How it works
Where your bill comes from
The local government puts a value on your home, subtracts the exemptions you apply for and applies the rate of each body that taxes it: the county, the city, the school district and others.
- The value assigned to your home
- The exemptions you apply for
- The rates of each taxing body (county, city, schools)
- Your yearly bill
The effective rate on this page is something else: our estimate (typical tax ÷ typical value, from Census data) for comparing places. It is not the rate your local government sets.
Exemptions and discounts
What can lower your bill
What Colorado publishes on exemptions, caps and relief programs, in its own words. Almost all must be claimed: nobody applies them for you.
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Senior homestead exemption (owners 65 and older)
If you are 65 or older and have owned and lived in the home as your primary residence for the previous 10 years (or are the surviving spouse of someone who qualified), 50 percent of the first $200,000 of the home's actual value is exempt. You apply to the county assessor.
What the source says· C.R.S. §39-3-203(1)
“fifty percent of the first two hundred thousand dollars of actual value of residential real property that as of the assessment date is owner-occupied and is used as the primary residence of the owner-occupier shall be exempt from taxation … if: (a) (I) The owner-occupier is sixty-five years of age or older as of the assessment date and has owned and occupied such residential real property as his or her primary residence for the ten years preceding the assessment date”
Colorado General Assembly (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 39) · Verified October 23, 2026
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Exemption for veterans with a service-connected disability
Veterans who qualify with a service-connected disability (and qualifying surviving spouses) may have 50 percent of the first $200,000 of their primary residence's actual value exempted. There is no age requirement, but you need the required VA-approved disability rating, and you must own and live in the home as of January 1.
What the source says
“An applicant for the veteran with a disability exemption must have owned and occupied their home as their primary residence as of January 1, 2026 (or earlier). There is no age requirement for veterans, but you must have the required VA approved disability rating. … A property tax exemption is available to qualifying senior citizens, qualifying veterans with a service connected disability and qualifying surviving spouses of senior citizens and veterans with a disability. For those that qualify and apply 50 percent of the first $200,000 of actual value of the qualified applicant’s primary residence is exempted.”
Colorado Division of Property Taxation (Department of Local Affairs) · Verified October 31, 2026
Dates
Deadlines to claim and to appeal
The dates the official source sets. If you think the value assigned to your home is wrong, you can appeal; each state has its own process and deadline.
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Deadline to protest the valuation with the assessor
If you disagree with the value the county assessor gave your home, your protest must be postmarked, delivered or given in person by June 8.
What the source says· C.R.S. §39-5-122(1)(a)
“beginning on the first working day after notices of adjusted valuation are mailed to taxpayers, the assessor will sit to hear all objections and protests concerning valuations of taxable real property determined by the assessor for the current year; that, for a taxpayer's objection and protest to be heard, notice must be given to the assessor; and that such notice must be postmarked, delivered, or given in person by June 8.”
Colorado General Assembly (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 39) · Verified October 23, 2026
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Senior exemption: apply January 1 through July 15
The application for the exemption for people 65 and older goes to the assessor of the county where the home is. Each year's period starts January 1 and ends July 15. If you turn it in between July 15 and August 15 (the late deadline) and it is denied, you have no right to appeal. If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the next working day counts.
What the source says· C.R.S. §39-1-120(3)
“Each year’s application period begins on January 1 and ends July 15. Applications that are returned to the county assessor’s office by the timely deadline receive full appeal rights if the application is denied. Applications that are returned between the timely deadline (July 15) and the late deadline (August 15) will not receive appeal rights if the application is denied by the county assessor. If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications that are delivered or postmarked by the next working day will be considered to be filed by the deadline. … Applications for these exemption programs must be submitted to the county assessor in the county where the property is located.”
Colorado Division of Property Taxation (Department of Local Affairs) · Verified October 31, 2026
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Disabled veteran exemption: apply January 1 through July 1
For the disabled veteran exemption (or the surviving spouse's), the disability must be rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as 100 percent permanent, or you must have been granted individual unemployability status. Each year's application period runs January 1 through July 1. If you turn it in between July 1 and August 1 and it is denied, you have no right to appeal.
What the source says
“Has established a service-connected disability that has been rated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a one hundred percent permanent disability through disability retirement benefits or has been granted individual unemployability status. … Each year’s application period begins on January 1 and ends July 1. Applications that are returned to the county assessor’s office by the timely deadline receive full appeal rights if the application is denied. Applications that are returned between the timely deadline (July 1) and the late deadline (August 1) will not receive appeal rights if the application is denied by the county assessor.”
Colorado Division of Property Taxation (Department of Local Affairs) · Verified October 31, 2026
By place
Every county, with its figure
What the typical owner pays in each county of Colorado, with the typical home value and the effective rate. Highest tax first.
| Pitkin County | $4,074 | $1,139,100 | 0.36% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broomfield County | $4,007 | $664,500 | 0.60% |
| Boulder County | $3,998 | $756,300 | 0.53% |
| Douglas County | $3,947 | $713,600 | 0.55% |
| Eagle County | $3,510 | $839,500 | 0.42% |
| Elbert County | $3,214 | $709,800 | 0.45% |
| Jefferson County | $3,082 | $637,600 | 0.48% |
| Summit County | $2,995 | $939,900 | 0.32% |
| Adams County | $2,962 | $484,200 | 0.61% |
| Arapahoe County | $2,938 | $561,200 | 0.52% |
| Larimer County | $2,832 | $569,100 | 0.50% |
| Denver County | $2,751 | $616,000 | 0.45% |
| Routt County | $2,736 | $854,700 | 0.32% |
| Weld County | $2,440 | $471,700 | 0.52% |
| Clear Creek County | $2,350 | $608,500 | 0.39% |
| Garfield County | $2,201 | $527,800 | 0.42% |
| Grand County | $2,071 | $601,500 | 0.34% |
| Ouray County | $2,050 | $739,800 | 0.28% |
| Lake County | $1,960 | $466,100 | 0.42% |
| Chaffee County | $1,901 | $665,700 | 0.29% |
| San Miguel County | $1,900 | $720,700 | 0.26% |
| El Paso County | $1,874 | $461,000 | 0.41% |
| Gunnison County | $1,798 | $621,800 | 0.29% |
| Park County | $1,771 | $532,100 | 0.33% |
| Morgan County | $1,751 | $338,600 | 0.52% |
| Archuleta County | $1,688 | $478,100 | 0.35% |
| Teller County | $1,672 | $479,900 | 0.35% |
| La Plata County | $1,552 | $591,500 | 0.26% |
| Custer County | $1,547 | $392,100 | 0.39% |
| Mineral County | $1,500 | $430,500 | 0.35% |
| Pueblo County | $1,467 | $291,300 | 0.50% |
| Phillips County | $1,456 | $258,200 | 0.56% |
| Mesa County | $1,439 | $378,600 | 0.38% |
| Montrose County | $1,385 | $388,400 | 0.36% |
| San Juan County | $1,364 | $432,500 | 0.32% |
| Hinsdale County | $1,359 | $437,900 | 0.31% |
| Gilpin County | $1,310 | $573,900 | 0.23% |
| Kit Carson County | $1,185 | $239,500 | 0.49% |
| Fremont County | $1,175 | $324,000 | 0.36% |
| Moffat County | $1,146 | $289,500 | 0.40% |
| Logan County | $1,132 | $245,300 | 0.46% |
| Lincoln County | $1,092 | $246,500 | 0.44% |
| Delta County | $1,068 | $343,200 | 0.31% |
| Alamosa County | $1,024 | $239,100 | 0.43% |
| Yuma County | $1,003 | $211,700 | 0.47% |
| Montezuma County | $958 | $331,400 | 0.29% |
| Kiowa County | $939 | $161,500 | 0.58% |
| Rio Grande County | $925 | $239,500 | 0.39% |
| Rio Blanco County | $917 | $274,400 | 0.33% |
| Cheyenne County | $887 | $187,500 | 0.47% |
| Washington County | $874 | $226,200 | 0.39% |
| Conejos County | $780 | $193,400 | 0.40% |
| Huerfano County | $699 | $247,800 | 0.28% |
| Saguache County | $690 | $212,600 | 0.32% |
| Sedgwick County | $664 | $149,000 | 0.45% |
| Dolores County | $659 | — | — |
| Costilla County | $582 | $184,700 | 0.32% |
| Baca County | $545 | $122,900 | 0.44% |
| Las Animas County | $535 | $237,600 | 0.23% |
| Crowley County | $521 | $116,200 | 0.45% |
| Otero County | $520 | $168,900 | 0.31% |
| Bent County | $517 | $146,900 | 0.35% |
| Prowers County | $487 | $160,600 | 0.30% |
| Jackson County | $416 | $239,600 | 0.17% |
- Pitkin $4,0740.36%
- Broomfield $4,0070.60%
- Boulder $3,9980.53%
- Douglas $3,9470.55%
- Eagle $3,5100.42%
- Elbert $3,2140.45%
- Jefferson $3,0820.48%
- Summit $2,9950.32%
- Adams $2,9620.61%
- Arapahoe $2,9380.52%
- Larimer $2,8320.50%
- Denver $2,7510.45%
- Routt $2,7360.32%
- Weld $2,4400.52%
- Clear Creek $2,3500.39%
- Garfield $2,2010.42%
- Grand $2,0710.34%
- Ouray $2,0500.28%
- Lake $1,9600.42%
- Chaffee $1,9010.29%
- San Miguel $1,9000.26%
- El Paso $1,8740.41%
- Gunnison $1,7980.29%
- Park $1,7710.33%
- Morgan $1,7510.52%
- Archuleta $1,6880.35%
- Teller $1,6720.35%
- La Plata $1,5520.26%
- Custer $1,5470.39%
- Mineral $1,5000.35%
- Pueblo $1,4670.50%
- Phillips $1,4560.56%
- Mesa $1,4390.38%
- Montrose $1,3850.36%
- San Juan $1,3640.32%
- Hinsdale $1,3590.31%
- Gilpin $1,3100.23%
- Kit Carson $1,1850.49%
- Fremont $1,1750.36%
- Moffat $1,1460.40%
- Logan $1,1320.46%
- Lincoln $1,0920.44%
- Delta $1,0680.31%
- Alamosa $1,0240.43%
- Yuma $1,0030.47%
- Montezuma $9580.29%
- Kiowa $9390.58%
- Rio Grande $9250.39%
- Rio Blanco $9170.33%
- Cheyenne $8870.47%
- Washington $8740.39%
- Conejos $7800.40%
- Huerfano $6990.28%
- Saguache $6900.32%
- Sedgwick $6640.45%
- Dolores $659—
- Costilla $5820.32%
- Baca $5450.44%
- Las Animas $5350.23%
- Crowley $5210.45%
- Otero $5200.31%
- Bent $5170.35%
- Prowers $4870.30%
- Jackson $4160.17%
Effective rate: typical tax ÷ typical value, our estimate from two Census medians. Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Buying or selling
Taxes on the sale
Some states charge a tax or fee when the deed is recorded. What the official source says:
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Documentary fee when the deed is recorded
Colorado has no transfer tax; when the deed is recorded a documentary fee of one cent per $100 of the price is paid when the price is over $500. The county clerk and recorder collects it.
C.R.S. §39-13-102(2)(b), (3) · Colorado General Assembly (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 39) · Verified October 23, 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much is property tax in Colorado?
The typical owner pays $2,602 a year, about 0.48% of the home’s value, per the Census (Average 2020–2024). Nationwide the effective rate is 0.94%. Your bill depends on your county, city, school district and the exemptions you claim.
Which county in Colorado pays the most property tax?
By amount, the highest typical tax is in Pitkin County ($4,074) and the lowest in Jackson County ($416). By effective rate, the highest is Adams County (0.61%) and the lowest Jackson County (0.17%).
What is the effective rate?
The typical tax divided by the typical home value in the same place. It is our estimate from two Census medians, not the rate your local government sets; it is for comparing places.
Are there exemptions in Colorado?
This page collects 2 exemptions, caps or programs the state itself publishes, with their text and source. Almost all must be claimed with your county or municipal assessor.