Interstate Relocation: Colorado → Washington

Moving from Colorado to Washington: Cost & Tax Comparison

Compare state income tax savings, HUD rent differentials, and household purchasing power adjustments when relocating from Colorado to Washington.

Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Effective Tax Rate Change -3.7 pts WA vs CO, $100k single
Annual Tax Savings +$3,692 Federal + FICA + state, $100k
1BR Rent Change -3.3% Avg 1BR $1,352 vs $1,399/mo
Net Annual Difference +$4,251 Tax savings + 1BR rent savings

What changes when you move from Colorado to Washington

Colorado has a flat 4.4% income tax and Washington has no state income tax on wages. On a $100,000 salary a single filer pays $3,692 in state income tax in Colorado and $0 in state income tax in Washington. With federal income tax and FICA unchanged, total tax falls by $3,692 a year after the move. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,399 a month across Colorado's metro areas and $1,352 across Washington's (-3.3%). Pay differs too: the BLS median wage across all occupations, weighted by employment in each state's metros, is $60,171 in Colorado and $67,499 in Washington. City and county income taxes, which some localities add, are not included in these state-level figures; the metro routes below include them.

Origin State: Colorado

Colorado Paycheck & Living Costs

Destination State: Washington

Washington Paycheck & Living Costs

Metropolitan Corridors Between Colorado & Washington

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO → Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA On $100k: $3,761 less tax and $4,188 more 1BR rent a year
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Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO → Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA On $100k: $3,761 less tax and $7,896 less 1BR rent a year
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Colorado Springs, CO → Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA On $100k: $3,692 less tax and $9,600 more 1BR rent a year
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Colorado Springs, CO → Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA On $100k: $3,692 less tax and $2,484 less 1BR rent a year
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Moving from Colorado to Washington: Cost & Tax Comparison Overview

Moving from Colorado to Washington on a $100,000 salary: pay $3,692 less in total taxes per year; average one-bedroom rent is $1,352 vs $1,399 a month (HUD.

Quick answers
How much money will I save moving from Colorado to Washington?

For a single filer earning $100,000 with no local income tax, total federal, FICA and state taxes are $3,692 lower in Washington than in Colorado (3.7 percentage points of gross pay). The average HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Washington's metros is $1,352 a month, versus $1,399 in Colorado (-3.3%). Taxes and one-bedroom rent combined change by +$4,251 a year.

What are the key tax differences between Colorado and Washington?

Colorado: Flat Tax, top rate 4.4%. Washington: No State Income Tax, top rate 0%. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both states.