Why two similar Clear Creek homes can have different tax bills

Two homes in Clear Creek County can sell for about the same price and still get different property tax bills. That surprises people, but there is a clear reason.

A Colorado property tax bill has three moving parts. First is the home’s value, set by the Clear Creek County Assessor in Georgetown, who reappraises every parcel in the county every two years. Second is the state assessment rate, which turns that value into a taxable amount. Third are the mill levies, the tax rates charged by each local district that covers the parcel.

That last part is where two similar homes split apart. Clear Creek has four towns, Idaho Springs, Georgetown, Silver Plume, and Empire, plus unincorporated spots like Dumont. A home inside a town pays that town’s levy on top of the county, school, and any fire or water and sanitation district levies, while a parcel just outside town limits sits in a different mix. So a home in Idaho Springs can owe more or less than a same-priced home in Georgetown or out in unincorporated Dumont.

When you compare a tax bill, do not just look at the home’s value. Look at which districts the parcel belongs to.

Because rates and levies change, this note lists no numbers. The Clear Creek County Assessor publishes the specific tax authorities and levies tied to each parcel, so check there to see exactly how a bill is built.