Colorado Best Places to Retire - A Guide 

This website can help explain what it is like to retire in Colorado, and help you find the best places to retire in Colorado too.

Overall
Colorado is one of the top retirement places for baby boomers from all over the country. Many have vacationed here or came to love the Rockies during college or the military. The scenery from its mountains is exceptional and so are the recreation opportunities. The economy is strong and becoming more diversified - many cities like Fort Collins and Boulder are booming. Colorado's growing population neared 5.8 million in 2019. Some 14.6% of the population is over 65, which is about 2 years younger than the rest of the U.S. Updated July 2021.

Grand Junction's Colorado National Monument

Climate
The Colorado climate is that of a steppe - characterized by high altitudes. Summers can be hot and dry and winter precipitation often comes with deep snows. The sun tends to shine a lot. Much of the state is either desert or mountain.

Economy, Cost of Living, Property Values
Median household income was just over $65,458 in 2013-17, which is above the U.S. average. Zillow.com reports that the Colorado Home Value Index was $401,891 in 2020, up almost $100,000 since 2016. Median home prices can differ - according to the NAR in Denver the 1st Quarter 2021 median home price was $454,400, well above the national median. Boulder, home of the University of Colorado, was more expensive - the median home price in early 2021 skyrocketed to $726,600. In Colorado Springs the median selling price was $387,500. Colorado's cost of living is above the national average; it is the 36th lowest in the country.

Taxes

Tax Burden: Total state/local tax burden in Colorado of 8.9% is lower than average, 35th highest in the nation.

Marginal Income Tax Rates. Colorado recently lowered its flat tax rate to 4.55%, one of the country's lowest.

Retirement Income Exemptions. Taxpayers over 65 have a $24,000 exemption for pension and social security benefits (persons 55 to 64 years of age get a $20,000 exemption). The same pension/annuity subtraction applies to military personnel receiving military retirement benefits. Pay for active duty military personnel who are Colorado residents is tax exempt. Colorado web page on military pay and taxation

Sales Tax: State sales tax is an extremely low 2.9%, although local sales taxes can be significant, in some places it can be up to 7.72%.

Property Taxes:  The median property tax paid in the state was $1,437, or 0.6% of assessed value. There is a homestead act property tax protection for those over 65 who have lived there for 10 years or more (50% of home value up to a max of $200,000 of home value).

Estate and/or Inheritance Taxes. There is no estate or inheritance tax.

Link to Colorado Department of Revenue.

Certified Retirement Communities
Colorado does not have a certified retirement community program.

Best Retirement Communities
Topretirements has reviews of the best retirement communities for active adults in Colorado, and more are being added all of the time. From the exciting college town of Boulder to the bustling metropolis of Denver, you will find many exciting communities profiled. Fort Collins is a slightly less expensive but equally nice community, as is nearby Loveland. Our review of Silver Sage , one of the country's first co-housing communities, is definitely interesting. Colorado Springs, home of the U.S. Air Force Academy, has fantastic scenery with nearby Pikes Peak. Grand Junction and nearby Fruita on Colorado's border with Utah frequently make lists of best places to retire. So does Durango with its excellent access to skiing and mountain biking. For each town reviewed on this site you will find data about real estate prices, what makes each community special (or not so special), along with important facts about the cultural, economic, medical, and transportation available in Colorado.

Click on the Colorado Retirement Community reviews on the right to get impartial information and advice about Topretirement's best places to retire in Colorado.

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