California vs Colorado: Total Tax Burden
Colorado has a lower total tax burden than California.
Visual Comparison
Difference: 1.68 percentage points — Colorado leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for total tax burden.
10 Best States — Total Tax Burden
Lower is better
Alaska
New Hampshire
Tennessee
Florida
Delaware
South Dakota
Wyoming
North Dakota
Idaho
Oklahoma
California
Colorado
California ranks 40th and Colorado ranks 14th nationally for total tax burden.
What This Means
California vs Colorado: Total Tax Burden in context
Colorado has a total tax burden of 7.56%, compared with 9.24% in California. Total state and local tax burden (property, income, and sales and excise taxes) as a percentage of personal income (WalletHub 2026).
People Also Ask
California vs Colorado Total Tax Burden — Common Questions
Q What is California's total tax burden?
California's total tax burden is 9.24%.
Q What is Colorado's total tax burden?
Colorado's total tax burden is 7.56%.
Q Which state has a lower total tax burden — California or Colorado?
Colorado has a lower total tax burden than California.
More Comparisons: California vs Colorado
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. 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.