State Comparison

California vs Colorado

Colorado is cheaper overall, while Colorado has higher incomes, Colorado has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.

California

CA • West

Quality of Life Score

50.49

Colorado

CO • West

Better quality of life

Quality of Life Score

53.58

California

9 / 31

metrics won

Score

Colorado

22 / 31

metrics won

Wins

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

50.49

Colorado winner

53.58

Colorado scores higher on quality of life — 3.09 points difference.

Quick Take

California vs Colorado

This quick read mixes affordability, housing, income, politics, density, and climate so the biggest tradeoffs show up fast.

Colorado is about 1.6 times smaller than California.
California has a larger population than Colorado by 33,764,509 people.
Colorado has the lower cost-of-living index. Colorado is at 110.2, while California is at 138.5.
Colorado has the higher median household income at $87,598, compared with $84,097 in California.

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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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 $1.74 higher

California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.90/hr, compared with $15.16/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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Cost of Driving

Colorado gas is about $2.11 cheaper

Colorado has the lower regular gas price at $3.816/gal, versus $5.929/gal in California.

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Full Comparison

Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Capital City The official state capital.	Sacramento	Denver	Details ->
State Color Simple political color label based on the 2024 presidential result and battleground status.	Solid Blue	Solid Blue	Details ->
Population Total resident population (2020 Census).	39,538,223	5,773,714	Details ->
Median Income Median household income in U.S. dollars.	$84,097	$87,598	Details ->
Cost of Living Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.	138.5	110.2	Details ->
Median Housing Value Median residential home value in U.S. dollars.	$693,700	$493,100	Details ->
Property Tax Effective real-estate property tax rate (% of home value, WalletHub February 17, 2026 using 2024 data).	0.70%	0.48%	Details ->
State Income Tax Top marginal state income tax rate. 0% = no state income tax.	13.30%	4.40%	Details ->
Minimum Wage State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).	$16.90/hr	$15.16/hr	Details ->
Gas Price Average regular gasoline price by state (AAA State Gas Price Averages, updated daily).	$5.929/gal	$3.816/gal	Details ->
Electricity Rates Average residential electricity price in cents per kWh (EIA monthly state data, January 2026 preliminary).	30.29 c/kWh	16.44 c/kWh	Details ->
Livability Score Best States to Live In total score (August 11, 2025).	50.49	53.58	Details ->
Average Temperature Average annual statewide temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.	59.4°F	45.1°F	Details ->
Sunny Days Average number of sunny or mostly sunny days per year.	146 days	136 days	Details ->
Land Area Total land area in square miles.	163,696 sq mi	104,094 sq mi	Details ->
Population Density Number of residents per square mile.	241.5 per sq mi	55.5 per sq mi	Details ->
Statehood When the state was admitted to the Union and its admission order.	September 9, 1850 (#31)	August 1, 1876 (#38)	Details ->

Population -> Median Income -> Cost of Living -> Median Housing Value -> Property Tax -> State Income Tax -> Minimum Wage -> Gas Price -> Electricity Rates -> Livability Score -> Average Temperature -> Sunny Days -> Land Area -> Population Density ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Population Total resident population (2020 Census).	39,538,223	5,773,714	Details ->
Population Density Number of residents per square mile.	241.5 per sq mi	55.5 per sq mi	Details ->
Bachelor's Degree Adults age 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher (ACS 2023).	37.5%	46.4%	Details ->
Advanced Degree Adults age 25+ with a graduate or professional degree (ACS 2023).	14.7%	18.1%	Details ->

Population -> Population Density -> Bachelor's Degree -> Advanced Degree ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Minimum Wage State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).	$16.90/hr	$15.16/hr	Details ->

Minimum Wage ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Livability Score Best States to Live In total score (August 11, 2025).	50.49	53.58	Details ->
Best State to Live In Composite living score for comparing states to live in, based on the existing livability score.	50.49	53.58	Details ->
Cost of Living Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.	138.5	110.2	Details ->
Gas Price Average regular gasoline price by state (AAA State Gas Price Averages, updated daily).	$5.929/gal	$3.816/gal	Details ->
Electricity Rates Average residential electricity price in cents per kWh (EIA monthly state data, January 2026 preliminary).	30.29 c/kWh	16.44 c/kWh	Details ->
Commute Time Average commute time in minutes.	28.4 min	26.4 min	Details ->

Livability Score -> Best State to Live In -> Cost of Living -> Gas Price -> Electricity Rates -> Commute Time ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Average Temperature Average annual statewide temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.	59.4°F	45.1°F	Details ->
Summer Temperature Average statewide summer temperature across June, July, and August.	73.4°F	65.2°F	Details ->
Winter Temperature Average statewide winter temperature across December, January, and February.	46.2°F	25.8°F	Details ->
Sunny Days Average number of sunny or mostly sunny days per year.	146 days	136 days	Details ->
Annual Precipitation Average annual rain and snowfall combined, measured in inches.	22.2 in	15.9 in	Details ->

Average Temperature -> Summer Temperature -> Winter Temperature -> Sunny Days -> Annual Precipitation ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Median Housing Value Median residential home value in U.S. dollars.	$693,700	$493,100	Details ->
Median Gross Rent Median gross monthly rent in U.S. dollars.	$1,856/mo	$1,651/mo	Details ->
Median Monthly Owner Costs With Mortgage Median selected monthly owner costs for households with a mortgage.	-	-	Details ->
Owner Costs Without Mortgage Median selected monthly owner costs for households without a mortgage.	-	-	Details ->
Homeownership Rate Share of occupied housing units that are owner-occupied.	55.8%	66.0%	Details ->
Home Value to Income Ratio Median home value divided by median household income.	8.25x	5.63x	Details ->
Rent to Income Ratio Annualized median gross rent as a share of median household income.	26.5%	22.6%	Details ->
Owner Costs to Income Median selected monthly owner costs as a percentage of household income (ACS 2023).	21.0%	19.0%	Details ->

Median Housing Value -> Median Gross Rent -> Median Monthly Owner Costs With Mortgage -> Owner Costs Without Mortgage -> Homeownership Rate -> Home Value to Income Ratio -> Rent to Income Ratio -> Owner Costs to Income ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
State Income Tax Top marginal state income tax rate. 0% = no state income tax.	13.30%	4.40%	Details ->
State Sales Tax State-level sales tax rate. 0% = no state sales tax (local taxes may apply).	7.25%	2.90%	Details ->
Property Tax Effective real-estate property tax rate (% of home value, WalletHub February 17, 2026 using 2024 data).	0.70%	0.48%	Details ->

State Income Tax -> State Sales Tax -> Property Tax ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
State Color Simple political color label based on the 2024 presidential result and battleground status.	Solid Blue	Solid Blue	Details ->
Presidential Voting Margin Signed 2024 presidential margin in percentage points (positive = Democratic, negative = Republican).	Dem +20.10	Dem +10.99	Details ->
Swing State / Battleground Whether the state was part of the core 2024 battleground map.	Not a battleground	Not a battleground	Details ->
Governor Party Current governor's party (NCSL partisan composition, January 27, 2026).	Democratic	Democratic	Details ->
State House Control Current partisan control of the lower legislative chamber (NCSL, January 27, 2026).	Democratic	Democratic	Details ->
State Senate Control Current partisan control of the upper legislative chamber (NCSL, January 27, 2026).	Democratic	Democratic	Details ->
Trifecta Whether one party controls the governorship and both legislative chambers (NCSL, January 27, 2026).	Democratic Trifecta	Democratic Trifecta	Details ->

Presidential Voting Margin ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Gun Laws Status Simplified statewide gun-law label based on current Giffords grades: A to B = Restrictive, C to F = Permissive (scorecard modified February 20, 2026).	Restrictive	Restrictive	Details ->
Alcohol Laws Whether the state uses a control-state or license-state model for distilled-spirit sales (NABCA directory accessed April 6, 2026).	License State	License State	Details ->
Marijuana Legalization Current statewide marijuana status: Legal, Medical, or Illegal (NCSL state cannabis laws page updated June 27, 2025).	Legal	Legal	Details ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Land Area Total land area in square miles.	163,696 sq mi	104,094 sq mi	Details ->
Highest Point Highest natural point in the state, with summit elevation.	Mount Whitney (14,505 ft)	Mount Elbert (14,440 ft)	Details ->
Statehood When the state was admitted to the Union and its admission order.	September 9, 1850 (#31)	August 1, 1876 (#38)	Details ->
Capital City The official state capital.	Sacramento	Denver	Details ->
Region U.S. Census Bureau geographic region.	West	West	Details ->

Land Area -> Highest Point ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Life Expectancy Life expectancy at birth in years (CDC 2021).	79.2 yrs	79.7 yrs	Details ->
Older Adult Health Outcomes Composite score for comparing state health outcomes for older adults, using life expectancy, insurance coverage, and obesity prevalence.	74.7	82.9	Details ->
Uninsured Rate Share of residents without health insurance coverage.	6.4%	6.7%	Details ->
Obesity Rate Adult obesity prevalence.	29.1%	25.0%	Details ->

Life Expectancy -> Older Adult Health Outcomes -> Uninsured Rate -> Obesity Rate ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Violent Crime Rate Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).	499.5	407.3	Details ->
Property Crime Rate Property crime incidents per 100,000 residents.	2387.5	3234.0	Details ->

Violent Crime Rate -> Property Crime Rate ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Median Income Median household income in U.S. dollars.	$84,097	$87,598	Details ->
Regional Price Parity Official price level relative to the national average (100 = U.S. average).	113.4	102.5	Details ->
Poverty Rate Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).	12.0%	9.3%	Details ->
Employment/Population Ratio Employed civilian population as a share of the adult population (ACS 2023).	60.2%	65.4%	Details ->
Unemployment Rate Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).	5.5%	3.8%	Details ->
Job Growth Change in total nonfarm payroll employment from December 2024 to December 2025 (BLS).	-0.1%	0.8%	Details ->

Median Income -> Regional Price Parity -> Poverty Rate -> Employment/Population Ratio -> Unemployment Rate -> Job Growth ->

Metric	CA	CO	Deep dive
Retirement Score Composite score for comparing states for retirement, combining affordability, taxes, housing, health, safety, and winter climate.	47.0	63.3	Details ->

Retirement Score ->

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.

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.

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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.

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Minimum Wage

California has the higher minimum wage

State minimum wage: $16.90/hr in California vs $15.16/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.

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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.

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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.

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Property Tax

Colorado has lower property taxes

Effective property tax rate: 0.48% in Colorado vs 0.70% in California. A lower rate usually means a smaller yearly tax bill relative to home value.

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State Color

California votes bluer

2024 presidential margin: Dem +20.10 in California vs Dem +10.99 in Colorado.

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Lower Taxes

Colorado has lower income taxes

Top state income tax rate: 4.40% in Colorado vs 13.30% in California.

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More Space

Colorado feels less crowded

Population density: 55.5 per sq mi in Colorado vs 241.5 per sq mi in California. Lower density usually means more space and less day-to-day congestion.

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Shorter Commute

Colorado has the shorter commute

Average commute: 26.4 min in Colorado vs 28.4 min in California.

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Job Opportunities

Colorado looks better for job seekers

Unemployment rate: 3.8% in Colorado vs 5.5% in California. Colorado also leads on job growth.

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Remote Workers

Colorado looks better for remote workers

Livability score: 53.58 in Colorado vs 50.49 in California. Colorado also has the shorter average commute.

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Families

Colorado looks better for families

Colorado wins more family-oriented signals in this matchup, including violent crime rate, life expectancy, bachelor's degree compared with California.

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Warmer Climate

California is warmer overall

Average annual temperature: 59.4°F in California vs 45.1°F in Colorado.

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More Sunshine

California gets more sun

Sunny days per year: 146 days in California vs 136 days in Colorado.

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Detailed Metric Pages

Grouped tabs keep the deep-dive links tighter and easier to scan.

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.

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 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.

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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, with minimum wage data 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.