Colorado Paycheck Calculator
Detailed paycheck estimator for workers in Colorado (CO). Uses updated 2026 federal withholdings, FICA tax limits, and state-specific tax brackets.
Estimate Take-Home Income in CO
4.4% Flat TaxCalculator Inputs
Calculation Result
How much tax comes out of a paycheck in Colorado?
Colorado taxes W-2 income at a flat rate of 4.40%, so a single filer earning a gross salary of $75,000 takes home about $59,000.50 a year.
W-2 tax structure in Colorado
Colorado imposes a flat income tax rate of 4.40%. The tax is calculated directly from your federal taxable income base ($58,900), meaning federal standard deductions flow through into the state tax calculation.
Worked payroll example (gross $75,000 salary)
| Withholding Category | Annual Deduction |
|---|---|
| Gross Pay | $75,000.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$7,670.00 |
| FICA Tax (Social Security & Medicare) | -$5,737.50 |
| State Income Tax | -$2,592.00 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $59,000.50 |
What makes Colorado W-2 taxation different?
Because Colorado ties state tax directly to federal taxable income, retirement or health HSA selections automatically lower your state tax. The median household income is $97,113 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Relocating from or to Colorado?
Comparing Colorado to neighboring Utah, Colorado's flat tax rate of 4.40% is slightly below Utah's flat rate of 4.50%, yielding a minor difference for Mountain West workers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Colorado have its own standard deduction?
No. Colorado uses your federal standard deduction directly as its baseline deduction rather than setting an independent state limit.
Does Denver have a city income tax?
Denver and a few other Colorado cities levy a small monthly flat-dollar 'occupational privilege tax' on W-2 workers rather than a percentage-based wage tax.
What is the median household income in Colorado?
According to the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau ACS estimates, the median household income in Colorado is $97,113.
Is Colorado expensive to live in?
Moderately. Colorado's MERIC composite index is 103.1, driven by metropolitan housing costs in the Denver and Boulder areas.
- Federal baseline calculations: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
- FICA caps and limits: Social Security Administration (2026).
- State tax rates: Tax Foundation Individual Income Tax Rates (2026).
- Median household income: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2024).
- Cost of Living Index: MERIC Cost of Living Data Series (2025).
Colorado starts from your federal taxable income, which is unusual
Colorado applies a flat 4.40%, but the base it applies to is what makes the state different. Most states calculate their own taxable income with their own deductions. Colorado starts from your federal taxable income and works from there.
That has a real consequence: your federal standard deduction flows straight through into your state tax. Claim the $16,100 federal standard deduction as a single filer in 2026 and Colorado effectively honours it too. Anything that lowers your federal taxable income, including 401(k) contributions and pre-tax health premiums, lowers your Colorado bill at the same time.
On a $75,000 salary, that leaves roughly $58,900 of federal taxable income, about $2,592 of Colorado tax, and take-home near $59,000.50.
It also means the two calculations move together. If you increase your 401(k) contribution, the federal and Colorado savings stack in a way they do not in states that run a separate deduction schedule.
TABOR refunds are not a tax cut, and they are not withholding
Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights caps how much revenue the state can keep. When collections run above the cap, the surplus is refunded to taxpayers, usually through the state income tax return rather than through your paycheck.
Two things follow. Your withholding does not change when a TABOR refund is announced, so your take-home pay is unaffected during the year. And the refund is not a rate cut: your 4.40% stays 4.40%, and the money comes back later, if it comes back.
Refund mechanisms and amounts vary year to year and are set by the legislature, so treat any specific figure you read as a snapshot and check the Colorado Department of Revenue for the current year before counting on it.
Colorado ranks 25th of 50 for take-home pay
On a $80,000 salary, a single filer keeps $62,298 in Coloradoafter federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax — $2,812 less than Alaska, the highest.
Plan your Colorado Budget: The Paycheck Split™
The Paycheck Split™
Divide your take-home pay to plan your budget (Essentials, Lifestyle, Financial Goals).