Colorado · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area

Buying a home in Lakewood, Colorado

In Lakewood, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $574,400, Jefferson County's effective property tax rate is 0.48%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $5,218 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,806 a month.

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

Lakewood home costs, fact by fact

About Lakewood

Median gross rent runs $1,806 per month, and HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Jefferson County is $2,169. Owners occupy 58.1% of homes in this city.

Reading the Lakewood figures

Lakewood tracks the state average closely: owners estimate $574,400, against $567,600 for Colorado. Fort Collins is practically level ($577,900), Westminster is lower ($532,400), and Denver is higher still ($616,000). An ownership level of 58.1% sits between Denver's 48.8% and Thornton's 71.4%, which makes this a city with a real renter base.

Rent is $1,806 a month, a bit under Denver's figure of $1,831, and Arvada reaches $1,888. HUD's number for the Denver metro, $2,169, is higher than the local median, so the regional reference overstates what Lakewood renters report.

Jefferson County gives the tax picture, and its rate of 0.48% produces $3,082 a year; county homes have a median value of $637,600, above the city's own estimate. Borrowers in 2025 faced a typical cost of $5,218, from 6,349 reported loans, and the central band reaches from $3,585 up to $10,397.

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 Lakewood

How much is property tax in Lakewood?

Homeowners in Jefferson County pay a median $3,082 a year in property tax, 0.48% of the county median home value of $637,600 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Lakewood?

Home-purchase mortgages in Jefferson County carried median total loan costs of $5,218 in 2025; half of the 6,349 loans fell between $3,585 and $10,397 (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 Lakewood?

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 Lakewood?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Lakewood ($574,400) equals 26.5 years of the median gross rent ($1,806 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

What natural hazards affect home insurance in Lakewood?

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 Lakewood

Other large cities in Colorado

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Sources

Colorado · All states · Federal guides