Colorado · 162nd largest metro area

Buying a home in Boulder, Colorado

In Boulder, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $1,039,500, Boulder County's effective property tax rate is 0.53%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $4,452 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $2,018 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2020-2024, Census Vintage 2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Boulder home costs, fact by fact

About Boulder

Boulder is an incorporated city in Boulder County, Colorado, with a population of 106,803. It lies in the Boulder, CO metro area, which ranks 162nd among U.S. metro areas. The median value of owner-occupied homes, as estimated by owners rather than a sale price, is $1,039,500, and 47.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Reading the Boulder figures

Boulder reports the highest owner estimate among the Colorado cities named here: $1,039,500, against $567,600 for the state. Highlands Ranch reads $712,700 and Centennial $658,100. Only 47.2% of households own, close to Denver's 48.8%, and the $2,018 rent trails Highlands Ranch's $2,531. Boulder County's 0.53% rate gives a typical annual bill of $3,998 on county homes valued at $756,300. HUD lists $2,033 for the smaller size in the Boulder zone, and $2,703 for the larger. Borrowers in the county in 2025 faced a median loan cost of $4,452, with the middle range from $3,432 to $8,786. Pueblo, at $247,200, sits at the other end with rent of $1,082. Boulder is one of 13 covered Colorado cities, in a metro area ranking 162nd nationally.

Calculate for Colorado

If you buy

Colorado state transfer tax

Documentary fee (C.R.S. 39-13-102): $0.01 per $100 of consideration, or major fraction of $100; nothing if $500 or less. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$567,600
State transfer tax$56.76
Share of the price0.01% of the price
Who paysSet by the purchase contract

Default price: the Colorado median value of owner-occupied homes, $567,600 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: Price divided by $100, times $0.01, counting a major fraction of $100 as a full unit. No fee when consideration is $500 or less. Who pays: The statute puts the fee on whoever offers the deed for recording and does not pick a side; the contract (CBS1 splits closing costs) and closing statement decide. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Colorado transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Colorado state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Questions about buying a home in Boulder

How much is property tax in Boulder?

Homeowners in Boulder County pay a median $3,998 a year in property tax, 0.53% of the county median home value of $756,300 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Boulder?

Home-purchase mortgages in Boulder County carried median total loan costs of $4,452 in 2025; half of the 2,775 loans fell between $3,432 and $8,786 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in Boulder?

Colorado has no transfer tax by that name but charges a state documentary fee of one cent per $100 of the price, which is $62.50 on a $625,000 home. The Colorado Constitution bars new or increased real property transfer tax rates.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Boulder?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Boulder ($1,039,500) equals 42.9 years of the median gross rent ($2,018 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

What natural hazards affect home insurance in Boulder?

Across Colorado, the main hazards for home insurance are wildfire, hail and flood, and the insurer of last resort is Colorado FAIR Plan. The Colorado FAIR Plan, created in 2023 (House Bill 23-1288), limits residential coverage to $750,000, pays actual cash value rather than replacement cost, and requires three declinations from standard insurers.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

Colorado rules that apply in Boulder

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Sources

Colorado · All states · Federal guides