California
CA • West
Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs Colorado
Colorado is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Colorado, Colorado has higher incomes, Colorado has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
California
9
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Colorado
22
/ 31
metrics won
CO wins Housing
CO wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
CO wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
vs
Colorado
winner
Colorado scores higher on quality of life — 3.09 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Colorado is 28.3 points cheaper overall
Colorado has the lower cost-of-living index. Colorado is at 110.2, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $10.15 further in Colorado
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $102.46 of local buying power in Colorado, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
Colorado income is 4.2% higher
Colorado has the higher median household income at $87,598, compared with $84,097 in California.
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Jobs
California minimum wage is $1.69 higher
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $14.81/hr in Colorado.
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Housing
California homes cost about 1.4x more
Colorado has the lower median home value at $493,100, versus $693,700 in California.
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Taxes
Colorado has lower state income tax
Colorado has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 4.40%, compared with 13.30% in California.
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What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
- —
- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Colorado
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 4.4%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (113.4 for California, 102.5 for Colorado). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California shows lower median income.
- California has higher property tax rates on average.
- California has a higher violent crime rate.
Colorado
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Colorado
- Colorado has a lower overall cost of living.
- Colorado has a lower housing cost index.
- Colorado has lower median home values.
- Colorado shows higher median income.
- Colorado has lower property tax rates on average.
- Colorado has a lower violent crime rate.
Cons
- Colorado health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Colorado has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
CO
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Denver |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
5,773,714
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$87,598
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
110.2
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$493,100
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
0.48%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
4.40%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$14.81/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$3.816/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
16.44 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
53.58
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
45.1°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
136 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
104,094 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
55.5 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
August 1, 1876 (#38)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
16
shown
Saving Money
Colorado is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 110.2 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Colorado is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.816/gal in Colorado vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $14.81/hr in Colorado. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Colorado has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 16.44 c/kWh in Colorado vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Colorado is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 5.63x in Colorado vs 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Colorado is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 22.6% in Colorado vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
California has a larger population than Colorado by 33,764,509 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Colorado.
Bachelor's Degree
Colorado has a higher college-educated share than California.
Advanced Degree
Colorado has a higher advanced-degree share than California.
People Also Ask
California vs Colorado - Common Questions
Q Is California cheaper to live in than Colorado?
Colorado has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Colorado scores 110.2 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 28.3 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California or Colorado?
$100 goes further in Colorado. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $102.46 in Colorado, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - California or Colorado?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 104,094 sq mi for Colorado - roughly 1.6x the size.
Q Does California or Colorado have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 5,773,714 in Colorado.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or Colorado?
Colorado has the higher median household income at $87,598, versus $84,097 in California.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or Colorado?
Colorado has the lower state income tax top rate at 4.40%, compared with 13.30% in California.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or Colorado?
Homes are cheaper in Colorado, where the median home value is $493,100, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or Colorado?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Colorado is more spread out at 55.5 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.