Where to move from Colorado
On a $95,000 salary (about the Colorado median household income) you keep $71,773 after 2026 taxes. 38 states have lower overall prices, and the biggest gain in buying power (+22.7%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
Buying power by destination
Every state ranked for someone leaving Colorado
The ranking starts at about Colorado's median household income. Enter your own salary and filing status to re-rank every state for you.
At a salary of $95,000, filing single, the biggest gain in buying power (+22.7%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
| Move to | Buying power | Take-home change | Rent / mo | Equal salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | +22.7% | +$3,890 | $999 | $75,100 |
| North Dakota | +21.2% | +$3,296 | $980 | $75,800 |
| Mississippi | +19.9% | +$822 | $990 | $76,900 |
| Arkansas | +19.3% | +$397 | $982 | $76,900 |
| Louisiana | +19.2% | +$1,426 | $1,064 | $77,500 |
| Iowa | +18.9% | +$931 | $981 | $77,600 |
| Tennessee | +18.3% | +$3,890 | $1,284 | $78,400 |
| Oklahoma | +17.7% | +$160 | $1,044 | $78,600 |
| Wyoming | +17.2% | +$3,890 | $998 | $79,200 |
| Alabama | +16.1% | -$17 | $1,077 | $80,000 |
| West Virginia | +15.9% | +$428 | $883 | $80,000 |
| Kentucky | +15.4% | +$682 | $998 | $80,500 |
| Nebraska | +15.1% | +$447 | $1,102 | $80,600 |
| Ohio | +14.3% | +$2,046 | $1,090 | $81,400 |
| Missouri | +14.3% | +$447 | $1,067 | $81,300 |
| Kansas | +13.5% | -$612 | $1,079 | $82,000 |
| New Mexico | +12.7% | +$566 | $1,117 | $82,500 |
| Texas | +11.9% | +$3,890 | $1,475 | $83,500 |
| North Carolina | +10.3% | +$608 | $1,338 | $84,900 |
| South Carolina | +9.9% | -$94 | $1,272 | $84,900 |
| Indiana | +9.8% | -$434 | $1,104 | $85,300 |
| Wisconsin | +9.2% | -$241 | $1,142 | $85,600 |
| Montana | +8.8% | -$117 | $1,177 | $86,000 |
| Nevada | +8.7% | +$3,890 | $1,709 | $86,400 |
| Idaho | +7.9% | -$37 | $1,384 | $86,900 |
| Michigan | +7.3% | +$103 | $1,168 | $87,600 |
| Pennsylvania | +7.0% | +$907 | $1,252 | $88,000 |
| Georgia | +6.9% | -$102 | $1,506 | $87,900 |
| Alaska | +5.8% | +$3,619 | $1,444 | $89,200 |
| Vermont | +5.3% | +$80 | $1,319 | $89,300 |
| Arizona | +5.1% | +$1,917 | $1,672 | $89,700 |
| Florida | +5.1% | +$3,890 | $1,812 | $89,800 |
| New Hampshire | +4.3% | +$3,890 | $1,558 | $90,600 |
| Maine | +4.3% | -$1,357 | $1,210 | $90,400 |
| Utah | +3.8% | -$338 | $1,593 | $91,000 |
| Minnesota | +2.4% | -$1,465 | $1,291 | $92,400 |
| Illinois | +2.1% | -$668 | $1,322 | $92,700 |
| Delaware | +1.3% | -$1,419 | $1,530 | $93,600 |
| Virginia | +0.9% | -$759 | $1,646 | $94,000 |
| Rhode Island | +0.6% | -$101 | $1,418 | $94,300 |
| Washington | -0.2% | +$2,572 | $1,824 | $95,200 |
| Connecticut | -2.2% | -$1,260 | $1,550 | $97,500 |
| Massachusetts | -4.0% | -$1,077 | $1,848 | $99,600 |
| Oregon | -5.1% | -$3,486 | $1,597 | $101,500 |
| New York | -5.9% | -$1,086 | $1,634 | $101,900 |
| Maryland | -5.9% | -$3,001 | $1,721 | $102,100 |
| New Jersey | -6.0% | -$561 | $1,800 | $102,100 |
| Washington, DC | -7.8% | -$1,217 | $1,931 | $104,600 |
| Hawaii | -8.8% | -$1,917 | $1,942 | $105,700 |
| California | -9.4% | -$1,935 | $2,104 | $107,100 |
Single filer, $95,000 W-2 salary. "Buying power" is after-tax pay adjusted for regional prices, and "Equal salary" is the pay that keeps it the same (see how to work out the salary you need). Weighing a state with no income tax? See what you really save.
Not sure where to go? Take the where-should-I-move quiz to match states to your budget and priorities, or read how to choose a city to move to.
Where Colorado residents actually move
Colorado gained households from other states in every one of the last five IRS years.
IRS Statistics of Income migration data, 2022–2023. See national migration.
Everyday costs in Colorado
- Average electric bill
- $101/mo
- Regular gas
- $4.35/gal
- Insure + fuel one car
- $3,541/yr
- Health plan, age 40
- $557/mo
- Natural hazard risk
- Among the highest (85)
EIA 2024 bills, AAA gas, NAIC insurance + 12,000 miles of gas, KFF 2026 benchmark silver before subsidies, FEMA National Risk Index, Census ACS 2024.
Cities in Colorado
- Cost of living in Denver
- Cost of living in Colorado Springs
- Cost of living in Fort Collins
- Cost of living in Greeley
- Cost of living in Boulder
More about living in Colorado
Cost of living
Prices and the salary it takes to rent, buy, or live a typical lifestyle in Colorado.
Buying a home
Income needed and monthly cost of the median Colorado home.
Retiring in Colorado
How Colorado taxes Social Security, pensions and 401(k)s.
Moving to Colorado
Who moves here, what it costs, and the driver license and registration deadlines.
Moving costs
What it costs to move from Colorado to every other state.
Car shipping
What it costs to ship a car from Colorado to every state.
Disaster risk
FEMA risk for Colorado and every county.
Health insurance
2026 Marketplace premiums in Colorado by age.
Property tax by county
Effective rates for every Colorado county.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people from Colorado move?
The top destinations in IRS data for 2022–2023 were Texas (12,275 households), California (9,699 households), Florida (9,070 households).
Is Colorado gaining or losing residents to other states?
Colorado had a net gain of 11,341 households to other states in 2022–2023 (IRS).
Which state gives the most buying power if I leave Colorado?
On a $95,000 salary, South Dakota raises your after-tax, price-adjusted income the most (+22.7%).
Moving to Colorado instead?
The Moving to Colorado guide covers where newcomers come from, the cost of living and the first-month deadlines. Reports for the most common moves here are listed below; for any other move, use the calculator.