Property tax in Lake County, Colorado
The median property tax bill in Lake County, Colorado is $1,960 a year, which is about 0.42% of the county's median home value of $466,100. That effective rate is higher than the typical Colorado county (0.39%) and lower than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Lake County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Lake County's average effective rate of 0.42% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,958 / year
Property tax in Lake County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,960 |
| Median home value | $466,100 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.42% |
| Typical Colorado county rate | 0.39% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Lake County compare in Colorado?
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Lake County has the 26th highest effective property-tax rate: 25 rank higher and 38 rank lower. That is near the middle for Colorado. Nationally, it ranks 2875th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Colorado county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Lake County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Lake County's 2,284 owner-occupied homes, 25.3% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 48.2% pay at least $2,000, and 22.4% pay under $800. Another 1.7% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 512 | 22.4% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 345 | 15.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 289 | 12.7% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 523 | 22.9% |
| $3,000 or more | 577 | 25.3% |
| No property tax paid | 38 | 1.7% |
How does the Lake County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,960 is about 1.9% of the median income of Lake County homeowner households, $105,073 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 75.6% of Lake County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Lake County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,295 in 2015-2019 to $1,960 in 2020-2024, a 51.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 100.8%, from $232,100 to $466,100. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Lake County
Lake County borders 5 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle County, CO | 0.42% | $3,510 | $839,500 |
| Lake County, CO (this county) | 0.42% | $1,960 | $466,100 |
| Pitkin County, CO | 0.36% | $4,074 | $1,139,100 |
| Park County, CO | 0.33% | $1,771 | $532,100 |
| Summit County, CO | 0.32% | $2,995 | $939,900 |
| Chaffee County, CO | 0.29% | $1,901 | $665,700 |
How is a home assessed in Lake County?
Colorado assesses homes at 6.8% of market value in every county, Lake County included. How Colorado assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Lake County?
No. Colorado has no general homestead exemption; the closest broad relief is a 10% reduction on the first $700,000 of value for the local government portion, which applies to all residential property. That is the Colorado rule, and it applies in Lake County. Colorado's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Lake County?
Bills cover the preceding year and are mailed soon after January 1. If your tax is over $25 you can pay in full by April 30 or in two halves due the last day of February and June 15. Bills of $25 or less must be paid in full by April 30.
Colorado splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Colorado rule. Lake County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Lake County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County assessor, then the County Board of Equalization, then the Board of Assessment Appeals, district court, or binding arbitration. The filing deadline is typically June 8. That is the Colorado rule; Lake County sets the exact dates and forms. The Colorado appeal process step by step.
Colorado rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Colorado page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Lake County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Colorado income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Colorado actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Lake County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Lake County, Colorado: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.