Colorado has one of the lowest effective property tax rates in the country. Current estimates put the average effective rate around 0.49%–0.60% of market value (Tax Foundation and county-level data cluster near 0.50%–0.51%), compared to the U.S. national average of roughly 0.99%–1.01%. That means Colorado homeowners typically pay about half the national average rate. Rates vary by county — from lows near 0.22% (Jackson County) to highs near 0.66% (Broomfield and Adams counties) — driven by Colorado's unique residential assessment-rate system (not simple mill-rate-on-full-value like most states). Starting with the 2026 tax year, the residential assessment rate is set at 6.95%, applied after subtracting 10% of a home's value (capped at an inflation-adjusted ~$70,000) — a structural discount that helps keep effective rates low relative to other states even where mill levies are comparable.
Example: Statewide, the median annual property tax bill is approximately $2,407 on a median home value of about $472,000–$502,000. This varies significantly by county: Denver County's median bill is about $3,071 (median home value ~$636,400), Jefferson County's median bill is about $3,434, Larimer County homeowners pay roughly $3,146 annually, Arapahoe County's median is about $3,057, and Weld County's median is about $2,688 — illustrating that Colorado's low effective rate still produces meaningful dollar bills in higher-value metro counties.
Colorado's property tax system is unusual: because of the state's history with the Gallagher Amendment (repealed in 2020) and subsequent legislative fixes (e.g., SB24-233, HB24B-1001), the residential assessment rate and the flat-dollar value reduction are set by statute and have changed almost annually in recent years — for 2026 the assessment rate is 6.95% applied after an inflation-adjusted ~$70,000 exemption from actual value. Because rules shift year to year and reassessments can cause bills to jump sharply in high-appreciation counties (some homeowners saw increases reported as high as 40% in early 2026 news coverage), homeowners should verify current-year rates and exemption eligibility directly with their county assessor rather than relying on prior-year figures.</notes> </invoke>
Facts on this page reflect research current as of 2026-07-05. Programs, rates, and laws change — confirm current figures with the relevant state agency before relying on them.