About 21,800 people moved from California to Colorado in 2022–23, per IRS data. Most went to Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder, which took 67% of those households. A Los Angeles median home ($999,652) compares with medians of $667,028 in Denver, $459,840 in Colorado Springs, $844,742 in Boulder.
Data verified October 11, 2026. Reviewed by Chris Harris, REALTOR® (Real Broker, LLC). Chris connects movers with licensed agents in their destination market.
California-to-Colorado appeals most strongly to buyers who want outdoor access, a lower tax burden, and a similar progressive cultural environment. Colorado's income tax is 4.4% flat — substantially lower than California's up to 13.3%. Denver home prices are lower than LA or SF but remain elevated nationally. Colorado Springs offers a meaningful affordability step down from Denver with direct Rocky Mountain access.
Where California movers go in Colorado
| Destination metro | Households | People |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 6,262 | 9,300 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 2,162 | 3,859 |
| Boulder, CO | 983 | 1,391 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 721 | 1,085 |
| Greeley, CO | 341 | 602 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 146 | 241 |
The metros below are the ones that receive the most California movers and have enough neighborhood sales data to price. Each section compares them with Los Angeles, California’s largest metro and its biggest source of movers. Other destinations in the data: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO (721 households); Greeley, CO (341 households); Grand Junction, CO (146 households). We do not have enough neighborhood sales data there to price them yet.
Source: IRS SOI U.S. Population Migration Data, 2022–2023; state total from state-to-state outflows, metros from county-to-county outflows (pairs under 20 returns suppressed, so metro figures are a floor).
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Denver, CO: about 9,300 people from California
The IRS counts 6,262 households (9,300 people) moving from California into the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro in 2022–23, 45% of everyone who left California for Colorado.
What a Los Angeles budget buys in Denver
A typical Los Angeles home sells for $999,652; the Denver median is $667,028. Selling at one median and buying at the other leaves about $332,624 before closing and moving costs. Spend the full $999,652 instead and 25 of the 27 Denver neighborhoods we track with at least 5 recent sales have a median at or below it. The closest to that budget: South Denver ($896,688), Far Northwest Denver ($854,703), South Central Denver ($833,210), Stapleton ($799,722). At 10% down and 7%, a $667,028 Denver home runs about $4,917 a month with taxes and insurance, against about $7,552 for a $999,652 Los Angeles home.
Neighborhoods closest to the Denver median:
| Neighborhood | Median sale price | Homes sold (3 mo.) |
|---|---|---|
| Eastridge | $657,271 | 101 |
| Northridge | $684,212 | 107 |
| The Meadows | $624,783 | 123 |
For the lowest entry price, the most affordable well-sampled Denver neighborhoods are Far Northeast Denver ($434,849), Green Valley Ranch ($450,638), West Denver ($539,812).
Prices: Los Angeles Zillow Home Value Index 2025; Denver Redfin, Jan–Jun 2026. Neighborhood medians and sale counts: Redfin rolling three-month windows, Jan–Jun 2026; neighborhoods with fewer than 5 sales are left out.
Taxes: Los Angeles vs Denver
| Los Angeles, CA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 1%–13.3% (graduated; 13.3% top rate) | 4.40% (flat rate) |
| Effective property tax | 0.66% | 0.44% |
| Property tax on the median home, per year | $6,598 | $2,935 |
On each city’s median home, property tax works out to about $6,598 a year in Los Angeles and $2,935 in Denver. Denver’s rate is lower as well as its prices.
Income tax: Tax Foundation 2024 state rates. Property tax: Census American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates, median taxes paid divided by median home value, city level.
Denver neighborhoods to start with
Matched to Los Angeles: the lifestyle tags most common among Los Angeles neighborhoods in our data are suburban, upscale, family. The Denver neighborhoods that share them most are The Meadows ($624,783), Central Park ($790,975), Southwest Denver ($554,807).
| Neighborhood | Median | Sales (3 mo.) | School rating | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Far Northeast Denver | $434,849 | 213 | – | up-and-coming, mixed |
| Far Southwest Denver | $549,309 | 215 | – | up-and-coming, mixed |
| Central Denver | $567,303 | 91 | – | urban, walkable |
| The Meadows | $624,783 | 123 | – | family, suburban |
| Near Northwest Denver | $720,000 | 148 | – | urban, mixed |
| Westridge | $770,732 | 184 | – | upscale, gated |
| South Central Denver | $833,210 | 166 | – | upscale, gated |
| Southeast Central Denver | $1,649,426 | 229 | – | ultra-luxury, executive |
Denver’s citywide crime grade is F (FBI UCR 2025); the FBI does not publish it by neighborhood. School ratings appear only where one is on file. See every Denver neighborhood on the Denver neighborhoods page.
Colorado Springs, CO: about 3,859 people from California
The IRS counts 2,162 households (3,859 people) moving from California into the Colorado Springs, CO metro in 2022–23, 15% of everyone who left California for Colorado.
What a Los Angeles budget buys in Colorado Springs
A typical Los Angeles home sells for $999,652; the Colorado Springs median is $459,840. Selling at one median and buying at the other leaves about $539,812 before closing and moving costs. Spend the full $999,652 instead and 20 of the 20 Colorado Springs neighborhoods we track with at least 5 recent sales have a median at or below it. The closest to that budget: Wolf Ranch ($669,267), Northwest Colorado Springs ($639,777), Falcon ($534,809), Woodmen Heights-Dublin North ($532,315). At 10% down and 7%, a $459,840 Colorado Springs home runs about $3,374 a month with taxes and insurance, against about $7,552 for a $999,652 Los Angeles home.
Neighborhoods closest to the Colorado Springs median:
| Neighborhood | Median sale price | Homes sold (3 mo.) |
|---|---|---|
| Stetson Hills | $459,840 | 57 |
| Old Colorado City | $469,862 | 105 |
| Powers | $439,847 | 971 |
For the lowest entry price, the most affordable well-sampled Colorado Springs neighborhoods are Southeast Colorado Springs ($349,378), Gateway Park ($354,877), Village Seven ($399,861).
Prices: Los Angeles Zillow Home Value Index 2025; Colorado Springs redfin-rules-expanded. Neighborhood medians and sale counts: Redfin rolling three-month windows, Jan–Jun 2026; neighborhoods with fewer than 5 sales are left out.
Taxes: Los Angeles vs Colorado Springs
| Los Angeles, CA | Colorado Springs, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 1%–13.3% (graduated; 13.3% top rate) | 4.40% (flat rate) |
| Effective property tax | 0.66% | 0.4% |
| Property tax on the median home, per year | $6,598 | $1,839 |
On each city’s median home, property tax works out to about $6,598 a year in Los Angeles and $1,839 in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs’s rate is lower as well as its prices.
Income tax: Tax Foundation 2024 state rates. Property tax: Census American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates, median taxes paid divided by median home value, city level.
Colorado Springs neighborhoods to start with
| Neighborhood | Median | Sales (3 mo.) | School rating | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Colorado Springs | $349,378 | 139 | – | |
| Village Seven | $399,861 | 67 | – | |
| Northeast Colorado Springs | $437,348 | 201 | – | |
| Springs Ranch | $439,847 | 69 | – | |
| Stetson Hills | $459,840 | 57 | – | |
| Banning Lewis Ranch | $507,324 | 81 | – | |
| Woodmen Heights-Dublin North | $532,315 | 83 | – | |
| Wolf Ranch | $669,267 | 97 | – |
Colorado Springs’s citywide crime grade is F (FBI UCR 2025); the FBI does not publish it by neighborhood. School ratings appear only where one is on file.
Boulder, CO: about 1,391 people from California
The IRS counts 983 households (1,391 people) moving from California into the Boulder, CO metro in 2022–23, 7% of everyone who left California for Colorado.
What a Los Angeles budget buys in Boulder
A typical Los Angeles home sells for $999,652; the Boulder median is $844,742. Selling at one median and buying at the other leaves about $154,910 before closing and moving costs. Spend the full $999,652 instead and 25 of the 35 Boulder neighborhoods we track with at least 5 recent sales have a median at or below it. The closest to that budget: South Boulder ($969,663), Rock Creek Ranch ($960,916), Pike ($904,685), Fireside ($843,706). At 10% down and 7%, a $844,742 Boulder home runs about $6,276 a month with taxes and insurance, against about $7,552 for a $999,652 Los Angeles home.
Neighborhoods closest to the Boulder median:
| Neighborhood | Median sale price | Homes sold (3 mo.) |
|---|---|---|
| Fireside | $843,706 | 20 |
| Southeast Boulder | $837,134 | 44 |
| Martin Acres | $805,220 | 16 |
For the lowest entry price, the most affordable well-sampled Boulder neighborhoods are Glenwood Grove-North Iris ($354,877), Keewaydin ($422,553), Kensington ($442,500).
Prices: Los Angeles Zillow Home Value Index 2025; Boulder Redfin, Jan–Jun 2026. Neighborhood medians and sale counts: Redfin rolling three-month windows, Jan–Jun 2026; neighborhoods with fewer than 5 sales are left out.
Taxes: Los Angeles vs Boulder
| Los Angeles, CA | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 1%–13.3% (graduated; 13.3% top rate) | 4.40% (flat rate) |
| Effective property tax | 0.66% | 0.51% |
| Property tax on the median home, per year | $6,598 | $4,308 |
On each city’s median home, property tax works out to about $6,598 a year in Los Angeles and $4,308 in Boulder. Boulder’s rate is lower as well as its prices.
Income tax: Tax Foundation 2024 state rates. Property tax: Census American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates, median taxes paid divided by median home value, city level.
Boulder neighborhoods to start with
Matched to Los Angeles: the lifestyle tags most common among Los Angeles neighborhoods in our data are suburban, upscale, family. The Boulder neighborhoods that share them most are Glenwood Grove-North Iris ($354,877), Palo Park ($484,831), Garden Acres ($507,823).
| Neighborhood | Median | Sales (3 mo.) | School rating | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Grove-North Iris | $354,877 | 22 | – | family, suburban |
| Palo Park | $484,831 | 44 | – | family, suburban |
| East Side | $559,805 | 96 | – | up-and-coming, mixed |
| Sunset | $629,781 | 20 | – | urban, walkable |
| Martin Acres | $805,220 | 16 | – | upscale, gated |
| South Boulder | $969,663 | 70 | – | upscale, gated |
| University Hill | $1,300,000 | 14 | – | upscale, executive |
| Rural North Boulder | $1,579,451 | 23 | – | ultra-luxury, executive |
Boulder’s citywide crime grade is C (FBI UCR 2025); the FBI does not publish it by neighborhood. School ratings appear only where one is on file. See every Boulder neighborhood on the Boulder neighborhoods page.
Frequently asked questions
Get matched with an agent where you are moving
Tell us who you are and Chris Harris will connect you with a licensed local agent who knows the neighborhoods above. Free, no obligation.
Want ranked neighborhoods first? Take the 2-minute neighborhood quiz.
Sources. Migration: IRS SOI 2022–2023. Home prices: market medians (Redfin Jan–Jun 2026; Zillow ZHVI 2025 for Los Angeles where noted). Property tax: Census ACS 2023. Income tax: Tax Foundation 2024. Crime: FBI UCR 2025. Verified October 11, 2026.