Colorado has a flat 4.40 percent individual income tax rate. Colorado has a flat 4.40 percent corporate income tax rate, a 2.90 percent state sales tax rate, and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 7.89 percent. Colorado has a 0.50 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value. Colorado does not have an estate tax or inheritance tax. Colorado’s gas tax is 29.18 cents per gallon and its cigarette excise tax is $2.24 per pack of 20 cigarettes.
Colorado raises tax revenue primarily through property taxes (32.9 percent of total state and local tax revenue), general sales taxes (29.7 percent), and individual income taxes (17.0 percent). Colorado collects $6,780 in state and local tax collections per capita, carries $13,133 in state and local debt per capita, and has a 78 percent funded ratio of public pension plans. Colorado’s tax system ranks 33rd overall on the 2026 State Tax Competitiveness Index.
Each state’s tax code is a multifaceted system with many moving parts, and Colorado is no exception. Use the tabs below to compare Colorado taxes with other states and to see how Colorado raises tax revenue. You can also browse our tax maps, which are compiled from our annual publication, Facts & Figures 2026: How Does Your State Compare?
Get facts about taxes in your state and around the US
The State Tax Competitiveness Index enables policymakers, taxpayers, and business leaders to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare. While there are many ways to show how much state governments collect in taxes, the Index evaluates how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.
122 min read
Facts & Figures serves as a one-stop state tax data resource that compares all 50 states on over 40 measures of tax rates, collections, burdens, and more.
2 min read
Individual income taxes are a major source of state government revenue, accounting for more than a third of state tax collections. How do income taxes compare in your state?
9 min read
Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for nearly a quarter of combined state and local tax collections.
18 min read
Forty-four states levy a corporate income tax, with top rates ranging from a 2 percent flat rate in North Carolina to an 11.5 percent top marginal rate in New Jersey. Four states—Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania—reduced their corporate income tax rates effective January 1, 2026.
5 min read
Property taxes are the primary tool for financing local governments. While no taxpayers in high-tax jurisdictions will be celebrating their yearly payments, property taxes are largely rooted in the benefit principle of taxation: the people paying the property tax bills are most often the ones benefiting from the services.
9 min read
Hemp, intoxicating or otherwise, is a growing market that needs to be addressed with tax policy. A well-designed tax will generate tax revenues for states while improving public health by shifting consumers away from illicit markets.
5 min read
Facts & Figures serves as a one-stop state tax data resource that compares all 50 states on over 40 measures of tax rates, collections, burdens, and more.
2 min read
Individual income taxes are a major source of state government revenue, accounting for more than a third of state tax collections. How do income taxes compare in your state?
12 min read
Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for 32 percent of state tax collections and 13 percent of local tax collections (24 percent of combined collections).
9 min read
As a rule, an individual’s income can be taxed both by the state in which the taxpayer resides and by the state in which the taxpayer’s income is earned.
52 min read
Forty-four states levy corporate income tax. Top rates range from a 2.25 percent flat rate in North Carolina to a 11.5 percent top marginal rate in New Jersey.
4 min read
Americans were on the move in 2024, and many chose low-tax states over high-tax ones.
6 min read
Thirty-nine states will begin 2025 with notable tax changes, including nine states cutting individual income taxes. Recent years have seen a wave of significant tax reforms, and the changes scheduled for 2025 show that these efforts have not let up.
25 min read
Tax avoidance is a natural consequence of tax policy. Policymakers should consider the unintended consequences, both to public health and public coffers, of the excise taxes and regulatory regimes for cigarettes and other nicotine products.
5 min read
Consumers legally wagered more than $100 billion on sporting contests in 2023, creating more than $1.8 billion in state revenue. Sports betting is now legal in 38 states and DC, and the landscape is rapidly evolving.
18 min read
