Reaching the age of retirement can be the beginning of a whole new adventure if you have the courage to uproot your life and go live in a new, exciting place where you can discover beautiful things, interesting people and just get to enjoy new scenery, so we’re going to take a look at the 11 best places to retire in Colorado.
Why Colorado? Well, for one thing because it’s beautiful. It is home to the Southern Rocky Mountains so there are amazing views to enjoy, not to mention hikes to be done. There are also the Great Plains you can check out if you want a change from the mountainous range. Sand dunes, canyons, rivers, lakes and beautiful forests are there to complete the geographical picture of one of the most diverse US states.
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For our list today we took a look at all of Colorado’s counties to see just how much the average home costs there, as well as how high the property taxes are, especially since this is the state that has some of the lowest residential property taxes in the entire country, with the average rate hitting just 0.63 percent. For example, in Pitkin County where you can find the highest median home price in the whole Colorado, namely $621,000, the tax barely hits $2,850 for a home this expensive.
We also took into account the cost of living index to make sure you won’t get your house for cheap and end up paying double for the daily expenses. Data comes from Sperling’s Best Places which encompasses information from a wealth of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, the National Center for Education Statistics and more, as well as from SmartAsset where we calculated the property taxes for each county. If you’d like, you can as well take a look at the best places to retire in Oregon.
Without further ado, here are the 11 best places to retire in Colorado.
11. Las Animas
Score: 8
Median home price: $143,100
Property tax: $416
Cost of living index: 93.9
The whole of Colorado has some 5.45 million citizens according to the 2015 census, and a little over 15,000 live in the Las Animas County. Here, the median home price hits $143,000 for which your property taxes would cost a mere $416. The cost of living index in this area is 93.9, which means you’ll pay about 6 percent less than the national average.
The county is home to some beautiful views, which you can enjoy from the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway and the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway. There are also several historic trails and landmarks to enjoy, such as the Trinidad State History Museum or the Mesa de Maya, which is volcanic tableland rising above the Great Plains.
If you want to enjoy nature, you can do so in several protected areas, such as the San Isabel National Forest, the or the Trinidad Lake State Park, to name a few.
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10. Otero
Score: 9
Median home price: $91,100
Property tax: $494
Cost of living index: 84.1
Away from the Rockies, next to the Great Plains sits Otero County, which is home to close to 19,000 people with a median age of 40.6 years. The median home price int his area is $91,100 while the property tax for such a house would reach $494, showing once more just how awesome it is to have such low taxes. The cost of living index is 84.1, meaning you’ll feel the drop in prices if you’re coming from a more expensive location.
Even though you may not get the majestic mountainous views from your backyard, there are many beautiful things to enjoy here too. For instance, you can check out Bent’s Old Fort, which is a national historic site as it was built in 1833. There are other areas to visit, too, like the Comanche National Grassland and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.
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9. Jackson
Score: 10
Median home price: $122,400
Property tax: $939
Cost of living index: 89.3
Back to the Rockies is Jackson County, which is home to under 1,400 people, making it the fourth-least populated county in the entire state. Despite the low population, the county actually spreads over 1,621 square miles, part of which is covered by forests and mountains. For instance, you can check out the Colorado State Forest and the State Forest State Park, as well as the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, the Mount Zirkel Wilderness or the Platte River Wilderness. If you prefer the scenic trails, you can check out the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail or go on a bicycle route such as Great Parks or TransAmerica.
Homes in Jackson County cost in average $122,400, for which the property taxes reach $393. The cost of living index is quite a bit below the national average, hitting 89.3.
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8. Sedgwick
Score: 11
Median home price: $83,500
Property tax: $502
Cost of living index: 83.2
Sedgwick County lies in the northeast corner of Colorado, bordering Nebraska on two sides. Spreading over 549 square miles, Sedgwick is home to just under 2,400 people, according to the latest census, with an average age of 47.9 years, meaning there are plenty of other retirees living here. The cost of living index is 83.2, which is absolutely great since you could actually end up saving quite a bit if you don’t change your spending habits.
While the area is pretty plain, there are still things you can do here, like visit the American Discovery Trail, the First Transcontinental Railroad or the South Platte Trail if you’re into that sort of thing.
Calvin Beale
7. Prowers
Score: 16
Median home price: $83,900
Property tax: $474
Cost of living index: 82.1
Bordering Kansas to the east and northeast, Prowers is one of the most eastern counties in Colorado. Some 12,500 people live here, with the median age of the residents being one of the lowest in our entire list – 36.7. The median home price in this county is $83,900 for which you’d have to pay a mere tax of $474. The cost of living index is 82.1, which is absolutely wonderful for your wallet.
There are several historical sites here, such as the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, which you can visit, as well as the Granada Relocation Center National Historic District.
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6. Costilla
Score: 18
Median home price: $90,400
Property tax: $474
Cost of living index: 82.1
Costilla County spreads over 1,230 square miles and is home to over 3,500 residents with a median age of 47.4 years. The median home price in this area is $90,400 for which the local authorities have established a tax of $382. The cost of living index is 83.7, so your expenses should be lowered quite a bit, although it does depend on what you’re used to in your current home, of course.
If you want to move to this county you’re going to have to get used to the fact that you have mountains in your back yard and that the views are breathtaking. Those who enjoy hiking will surely take the opportunity to go up the mountain for a bit, or perhaps take a walk through the San Isabel National Forest.
5. Crowley
Score: 19
Median home price: $80,400
Property tax: $495
Cost of living index: 81.9
Crowley County is situated in the western area of the state and it is home to over 5,700 people, with a median age of 39.4 years. The average home price here is $80,400 for which the taxes don’t even hit $500. The cost of living index in this area is 81.9, so you’re going to spend considerably less money on your day to day activities
The county is pretty quiet compared to others and, if you feel up to it, you can check out two bicycle trails passing through the area, the TransAmerica and Neil’s Road of Misery. Otherwise, you can perhaps start up what seems to be the local’s favorite activity, namely ranching.
4. Cheyenne
Score: 21
Median home price: $81,800
Property tax: $434
Cost of living index: 82
Having Kansas for a border in the east means that the scenery in Cheyenne County is pretty plain, the highest point in the entire county hitting 5,255 ft. It is, however, home to over 2,000 people, with the median age hitting 41 years. Houses in the area cost $81,800 on average, while the property taxes for such a house reach $434. The cost of living index is 82, so your wallet is going to be quite happy with your choice if you decide to move here since, thanks to all these stats, it is one of the 11 best places to retire in Colorado.
The place is full of history and there are plenty of trails to visit if you want to have some fun. For instance, the Old Military Trail connecting For Wallace to Fort Lyon, or the Smoky Hill Trail which was used since the 1840s. There are some historic sites as well, such as the Cheyenne County Courthouse built in the early 1900s.
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3. Kiowa
Score: 24
Median home price: $76,200
Property tax: $471
Cost of living index: 81.4
Next door to Kansas once more, Kiowa County is home to under 1,400 people, with a median age of 40.1 years. The median home price in this county sits just north of $76,000, while the property tax for such a house is a mere $471, showing once more just how great it is to have such millage rates.
The cost of living index is 81.4, staying in line with the other less populated counties we’ve presented until now.
Kiowa County has some dark history in its books, specifically the Sand Creek massacre, from back in 1864, before Colorado was even a state. Then, Native Americans, mostly old men, women, and children, were massacred in one of the ugliest pages of Colorado’s books.
2. Bent
Score: 24
Median home price: $70,500
Property tax: $497
Cost of living index: 79.8
Home to close to 6,200 people with a median age of 40.6 years, Bent is situated in the western area of Colorado. The average home price in the area is just $70,500 for which you’d have to shell out under $500 as property tax. The cost of living index in Bent County is the lowest among the counties on our list, namely 79.8.
If you want, you can visit the John Martin Reservoir State Park which is a state protected area or visit the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway. Other than that, the entire county is pretty plain as far as geography goes.
1. Baca
Score: 29
Median home price: $72,200
Property tax: $412
Cost of living index: 80.9
In Colorado’s southeast corner sits Baca County, bordering Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico at the same time. It is home to close to 3,800 people with a median age of 47.8 years, indicating there are plenty of other retirees living here. Homes costs in average $72,200 for which authorities settled a tax of $412. The cost of living index is 80.9, well below the national average.
This is a rather dry area that took a hard hit in the 1930s when the dust storms hit. The government put in some efforts to conserve the soil, resulting today in some 220,000 acres of grassland which was purchased and cultivated decades ago.
All in all, Baca County tops the list of the 11 best places to retire in Colorado.
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