Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Boulder, Colorado
A $983,000 home here costs
$7,150per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $306,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,445. The real number is $1,705 higher every month, 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Boulder County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Boulder against Boulder County and Colorado
| Measure | Boulder | Boulder County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $982,600 | $713,900 |
| Median property tax | $5,023 | $3,821 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.511% | 0.535% |
| Median gross rent | $1,924 | $1,893 |
| Population | 106,274 | 328,317 |
The weather behind that power bill
Boulder sits in Boulder County, which averages a high of 67.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.5°F in its coldest, with 33.86" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 0 cooling and 10,824 heating degree days, which is what sets the $115 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Boulder County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Boulder County
Full Boulder County cost breakdown · Every county in Colorado
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Boulder averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Boulder every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Boulder I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Boulder?
A $983,000 home in Boulder, Colorado costs approximately $7,150 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $5,445 principal and interest, $419 property tax, $285 homeowners insurance, $183 utilities and $819 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Boulder?
Boulder has an effective property tax rate of 0.511%, based on a median home value of $982,600 and median real estate taxes of $5,023. That is lower than the Boulder County average of 0.535%.
What is the average home price in Boulder?
The median owner-occupied home value in Boulder, Colorado is $982,600, against $713,900 across Boulder County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Boulder?
Median gross rent in Boulder is $1,924 a month, against $7,150 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Boulder?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Boulder, Colorado at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $306,500 a year. That covers the full $7,150 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Boulder, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Colorado.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.