Aurora, CO vs Denver, CO: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Denver, CO is the higher-tax metro at 8.81%, versus 8% in Aurora, CO. The 0.81% gap works out to $0.81 on a $100 purchase, $8.10 on $1,000 and $202.50 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.81%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $8.10Paid in Denver
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $202.50Vehicle-sized purchase
Aurora, CO
Arapahoe County
8%
Combined rate · ranked #44 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Colorado state | 2.9% |
| county | Arapahoe County | 0.25% |
| city | City of Aurora | 3.75% |
| special district | RTD and cultural districts | 1.1% |
- Population
- 395,052
- Median household income
- $84,156
Aurora spans three counties — Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas — so the county component depends on which side of the city line an address sits.
Denver, CO
Denver County
8.81%
Combined rate · ranked #20 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Colorado state | 2.9% |
| city | City and County of Denver | 4.81% |
| special district | Regional Transportation District (RTD) | 1% |
| special district | Scientific and Cultural Facilities District | 0.1% |
- Population
- 715,522
- Median household income
- $91,120
Colorado is a home-rule state: Denver administers and collects its own city sales tax separately from the state, so filings go to two agencies.
How the difference is calculated
Same arithmetic the calculator on every page runs.
Each combined rate is the sum of its listed state, county, city and special-district components — no rounding is applied before the total. The dollar gap is the rate difference (0.81%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.81% of $1,000 is $8.10. Neither figure includes product-specific exemptions; groceries, clothing and digital goods can be taxed at a different rate or not at all, which is covered on each state's rules page.
Questions people ask
Direct answers to the questions this comparison raises.
Which has a higher sales tax rate, Aurora or Denver?
Denver, CO at 8.81%, versus 8% in Aurora, CO.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Denver on a $1,000 purchase?
About $8.10 more, and roughly $202.50 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Aurora and Denver have different rates?
The state share is 2.9% in CO and 2.9% in CO. The rest comes from county, city and special-district increments stacked on top, which are set locally and listed in full on this page.
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