Colorado ranks 18th in the U.S. for most income taxes paid in 2023

Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado
Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado - Governor Jared Polis
0Comments

In 2023, Colorado collected $9.1 billion in income taxes, placing it 18th among all U.S. states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC).

This marked a 30.9% decrease from the $13.2 billion generated in the previous year.

For comparison, California topped the national rankings in 2023, collecting $126.3 billion in income taxes.

The State Government Tax Collections (STC) survey tracks five major tax categories and up to 25 subcategories, gathering data from all 50 state governments and their dependent agencies.

The Census Bureau notes that it defines tax classifications consistently across states, which may differ from how individual states categorize them.

All figures in this article reflect taxes collected by state governments only, based on the STC. They do not include local taxes, such as most property taxes, which make up a significant portion of overall taxes paid by residents.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, state and local governments collect a wide range of taxes to fund public programs and services. These revenues are typically allocated to areas such as transportation, education, and public safety. In 2024, state tax collections alone amounted to nearly $1.5 trillion nationwide, representing a significant part of overall government operations.

U.S. Income Taxes by State in 2023
Rank State Amount
1 California $126,315,948,000
2 New York $83,092,248,000
3 Illinois $36,662,470,000
4 New Jersey $27,202,053,000
5 Massachusetts $26,479,758,000
6 Pennsylvania $22,715,373,000
7 Virginia $21,014,676,000
8 Georgia $20,778,117,000
9 Minnesota $18,639,011,000
10 North Carolina $18,495,763,000
11 Oregon $14,791,650,000
12 Michigan $14,702,489,000
13 Maryland $14,088,630,000
14 Connecticut $12,878,478,000
15 Wisconsin $11,859,170,000
16 Ohio $11,310,492,000
17 Missouri $9,589,128,000
18 Colorado $9,122,905,000
19 Indiana $8,806,491,000
20 Utah $7,359,052,000
21 Alabama $7,277,674,000
22 Kentucky $7,248,274,000
23 South Carolina $7,139,201,000
24 Arizona $7,045,863,000
25 Kansas $6,068,526,000
26 Louisiana $5,902,877,000
27 Florida $5,522,370,000
28 Iowa $5,473,073,000
29 Oklahoma $5,168,516,000
30 Arkansas $3,985,931,000
31 Nebraska $3,698,917,000
32 Hawaii $3,447,778,000
33 Mississippi $3,277,033,000
34 Idaho $3,176,180,000
35 Tennessee $3,159,327,000
36 West Virginia $3,113,533,000
37 New Mexico $3,090,635,000
38 Delaware $2,997,021,000
39 Maine $2,933,175,000
40 Montana $2,594,794,000
41 Rhode Island $1,874,389,000
42 Vermont $1,510,192,000
43 New Hampshire $1,421,035,000
44 Washington $846,835,000
45 North Dakota $819,581,000
46 Alaska $444,240,000
47 South Dakota $48,070,000

Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC). The source data can be found here.



Related

Steven L. Lieberman, Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health

Number of VA purchase loans in Colorado rises 10.7% in 2025 compared to 2024

The number of VA purchase loans in Colorado for 2025 was 8,823 and totaled $4.6 billion.

J. Bishop Grewell, Acting United States Attorney

Former medical coordinator pleads guilty to tampering with prescription medications in Colorado

Shelbi Wolken has pleaded guilty to tampering with prescription medications while working as a case management coordinator in Colorado. Authorities say her actions affected more than one hundred patients and led to serious health complications for some individuals.

Paul R. Lawrence,  Ph.D., Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs

Average VA Purchase Loan amount in Colorado declines from Q3 to Q4 2025

The average VA Purchase Loan amount for Colorado in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $514,476, according to figures provided by the Veterans Affairs Home Loans Index.

Trending

The Weekly Newsletter

Sign-up for the Weekly Newsletter from Centennial State News.