Tax rates in Aurora, Colorado depend on where in the city you are, because Aurora stretches across Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties. Combined sales tax at the register runs from about 7% to 8.75%. Property tax is set by mill levies that vary by neighborhood. There is no city income tax, Colorado’s flat state rate is 4.4%, and Aurora’s occupational privilege tax was repealed effective January 1, 2025.
Sales Tax at the Register
The city itself charges a 3.75% municipal sales and use tax on tangible goods and taxable services.1City of Aurora. Sales Tax On top of that sit the 2.9% Colorado state sales tax and two regional levies that apply everywhere in the Denver metro area: a 1.0% Regional Transportation District (RTD) tax and a 0.1% Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) tax.2Adams County, CO. Cultural Facilities Sales Tax
The last layer is the county. Adams County adds 0.75%, Arapahoe County adds 0.25%, and the Douglas County portion of Aurora carries a 1.0% county tax.3Adams County, CO. Sales Tax Rates4Arapahoe County. Sales Tax Information Totals at checkout work out to roughly:
- Arapahoe County areas: about 7.00%
- Adams County areas: about 8.50%
- Douglas County areas: about 8.75%
Aurora is a home-rule city and administers its own sales tax separately from the state.
What’s Exempt from Aurora Sales Tax
Groceries bought for home consumption are not subject to the city’s 3.75% tax. Prepared food, candy, and soft drinks stay taxable. Food paid for with SNAP or WIC is also exempt.5City of Aurora. Aurora City Code 130-157 – Items Exempt From Taxation
On the medical side, prescription drugs for humans and animals are exempt when dispensed on a valid prescription, as are insulin and diabetic testing supplies. Prosthetic devices prescribed by a licensed practitioner for a specific patient also qualify, including hearing aids, cardiac devices, and custom orthopedic appliances. Therapeutic devices such as elastic knee braces, hot tubs, and exercise bikes do not qualify, even with a prescription. Durable medical equipment and mobility aids are taxable at the city level even though some are exempt from the state sales tax.6City of Aurora. Medical Exemptions That gap between state and city rules trips people up, so confirm before assuming a state-exempt medical purchase is also exempt in Aurora.
Retail Marijuana
Retail marijuana carries a 5% special city tax on top of the standard 3.75% municipal rate, for a city-level total of 8.75%.7City of Aurora. Aurora City Code 130-156 – Taxable Items Add the 2.9% state sales tax, a 15% state excise tax collected upstream at wholesale and built into the retail price, plus the county and regional district taxes, and the combined effective rate on marijuana in Aurora can approach 28%.
Property Tax
Property tax bills are built from mill levies, not a flat percentage of what your home is worth. One mill equals one dollar of tax per $1,000 of assessed value, and your bill is the sum of levies from every overlapping authority: the city, the county, your school district, and fire, water, parks, and other special districts.
Assessment Rates and an Example
Colorado converts actual market value to assessed value before applying mill levies. For the 2026 tax year, residential property uses a 6.8% local government assessment rate, applied after a 10% reduction on the first $700,000 of actual value, with a minimum assessed value of $1,000.8Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation. Residential Local Government Assessment Rate A separate 7.05% assessment rate applies to the school district portion of your bill.9Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation. Understanding Property Taxes in Colorado Commercial and agricultural properties use different rates.
A $500,000 home has roughly $34,000 in assessed value for local government purposes (6.8% of $500,000). If the combined mill levy for that location totals 100 mills, the annual bill lands around $3,400. Across Aurora, combined mill levies commonly run from about 80 to 130 mills depending on which taxing districts apply.
Payment Deadlines
Colorado property taxes are paid the year after the tax year. You can pay in full by April 30, or split the bill into two installments: the first half is due by the last business day of February, the second half by June 15. When a deadline falls on a weekend, it moves to the next business day. Late payments trigger delinquent interest.
Senior and Disabled Veteran Exemption
Colorado offers a property tax exemption for qualifying senior citizens and veterans with a service-connected disability. If you qualify, 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value on your primary residence is exempt. Veterans need a VA-approved disability rating; there is no age requirement for them. You must have owned and occupied the home as your primary residence as of January 1 of the applicable tax year.10Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation. Senior Citizen and Veterans With a Disability Property Tax Exemption and Senior Primary Residence Classification Qualifying surviving spouses of disabled veterans may also be eligible.
Income Tax
Aurora has no city income tax. Your only income tax obligation goes to the state of Colorado, which applies a flat rate to every filer regardless of income. For the 2025 tax year, that rate is 4.4%.11Department of Revenue – Taxation. Individual Income Tax Guide Colorado starts from your federal taxable income and applies state-specific additions and subtractions, so you don’t rebuild the calculation from scratch.12Colorado General Assembly. Individual Income Tax
Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires the state to refund excess revenue when collections exceed constitutional limits. For the 2025 tax year, refunds range from $19 for single filers with AGI of $52,000 or less up to $118 for joint filers with AGI above $299,000.13Department of Revenue – Taxation. Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Information The refund folds into your overall state refund rather than arriving separately, and you have to claim it on your return to receive it.
Occupational Privilege Tax (Repealed)
Aurora used to charge $2 per month on employees earning $250 or more in a calendar month, with a matching $2 employer portion. The city council repealed the tax, and it stopped applying on January 1, 2025.14City of Aurora. Occupational Privilege Tax – City of Aurora If you see the deduction on a pay stub for work performed in Aurora after that date, raise it with your payroll department. Other Colorado cities, including Denver, still charge their own occupational privilege taxes, so the repeal is Aurora-only.