Colorado · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area

Buying a home in Centennial, Colorado

In Centennial, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $658,100, Arapahoe County's effective property tax rate is 0.52%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $7,268 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $2,148 a month.

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

Centennial home costs, fact by fact

About Centennial

Buyers looking at Centennial in Colorado will find an incorporated city of 108,853 residents in Arapahoe County. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in the county is $2,169, and the effective property tax rate (median tax as a share of home value) is 0.52%.

Reading the Centennial figures

Centennial pairs a $658,100 value with an owner share of 80.6%, ahead of Highlands Ranch (78.1%) and Arvada (75.3%). The state figure is $567,600, and Denver reads $616,000 with 48.8% of households owning. Rent is $2,148 a month, between Arvada's $1,888 and Highlands Ranch's $2,531. Arapahoe County's 0.52% rate means a typical annual bill of $2,938 on homes valued at $561,200 in the county. HUD shows $2,169 for the smaller size in the Denver zone, a yardstick and not a local median. In 2025 the county's median loan cost was $7,268, with the middle range from $3,819 to $12,888. Aurora's owner share is 62.4%. Centennial is one of 13 covered Colorado cities, in a metro area ranking 19th 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 Centennial

How much is property tax in Centennial?

Homeowners in Arapahoe County pay a median $2,938 a year in property tax, 0.52% of the county median home value of $561,200 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Centennial?

Home-purchase mortgages in Arapahoe County carried median total loan costs of $7,268 in 2025; half of the 6,822 loans fell between $3,819 and $12,888 (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 Centennial?

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 Centennial?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Centennial ($658,100) equals 25.5 years of the median gross rent ($2,148 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

What natural hazards affect home insurance in Centennial?

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 Centennial

Other large cities in Colorado

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Sources

Colorado · All states · Federal guides