Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Golden, Colorado
A $791,000 home here costs
$5,460per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,067. The real number is $1,394 higher every month — 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Golden against Jefferson County and Colorado
| Measure | Golden | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $790,500 | $604,400 |
| Median property tax | $3,505 | $2,867 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.443% | 0.474% |
| Median gross rent | $1,854 | $1,792 |
| Population | 20,467 | 579,715 |
The weather behind that power bill
Golden sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 81.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.5°F in its coldest, with 18.62" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 99 cooling and 7,467 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Jefferson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Jefferson County
Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in Colorado
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Golden?
A $791,000 home in Golden, Colorado costs approximately $5,460 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,067 principal and interest, $292 property tax, $229 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $659 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Golden?
Golden has an effective property tax rate of 0.443%, based on a median home value of $790,500 and median real estate taxes of $3,505. That is lower than the Jefferson County average of 0.474%.
What is the average home price in Golden?
The median owner-occupied home value in Golden, Colorado is $790,500, against $604,400 across Jefferson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Golden?
Median gross rent in Golden is $1,854 a month, against $5,460 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Golden — 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.