Colorado vs Iowa Taxes: Take-Home Pay Compared (2026)
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $394 more a year in Iowa than in Colorado ($33 a month).
Colorado
4.4% flat state income tax
$59,000
take-home on $75,000 · $4,917/month
27th of 51 states for take-home pay
Colorado paycheck calculator ›Iowa
3.8% flat state income tax
$59,394
take-home on $75,000 · $4,950/month
16th of 51 states for take-home pay
Iowa paycheck calculator ›Take-home pay in Colorado and Iowa by salary
| Salary | Colorado | Iowa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $33,268 | $33,452 | $184 more in Iowa |
| $50,000 | $40,863 | $41,107 | $244 more in Iowa |
| $60,000 | $48,458 | $48,762 | $304 more in Iowa |
| $75,000 | $59,000 | $59,394 | $394 more in Iowa |
| $100,000 | $75,488 | $76,032 | $544 more in Iowa |
| $125,000 | $91,911 | $92,605 | $694 more in Iowa |
| $150,000 | $107,899 | $108,743 | $844 more in Iowa |
| $200,000 | $140,835 | $141,979 | $1,144 more in Iowa |
Single filer, standard deduction, no local tax. To match $75,000 in Colorado you would need about $74,400 in Iowa; to match $75,000 in Iowa you would need about $75,600 in Colorado.
How Colorado and Iowa tax wages
| 2026 | Colorado | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | a flat 4.4% income tax | a flat 3.8% income tax |
| Top rate | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| Standard deduction | Federal ($16,100 single) | $16,100 single |
| State tax on $75k | $2,592 (3.5%) | $2,198 (2.9%) |
| Local wage taxes | Yes (4 modeled) | Yes (3 modeled) |
| Reciprocity | None | Illinois |
Moving between Colorado and Iowa
Moving from Colorado to Iowa
Moving to Iowa from Minnesota or Illinois usually cuts your state income tax, since Iowa's flat 3.8% rate applies only after the $16,100 federal-style deduction. At $75,000 a single filer pays $2,198 to Iowa. Check the school district surtax for any address you are considering, because it varies by district. Retirees 55 and older also benefit from Iowa's exclusion of retirement income.
Moving from Iowa to Colorado
Moving to Colorado from Wyoming adds $2,592 of state tax at $75,000, and from Arizona $1,119. Coming from Kansas you keep $793 more, and from Utah $511 more. Colorado has no city income taxes, but a job in Denver, Aurora, Glendale, Sheridan, or Greenwood Village adds a small monthly OPT. Budget for the FAMLI premium on each paycheck, and file Form DR 0004 if the W-4 default would leave you under-withheld.
Colorado paychecks in brief
Colorado taxes income at a flat 4.4%, and it starts from your federal taxable income, so the federal $16,100 standard deduction carries straight onto the state return. A single filer earning $75,000 owes $2,592 to Colorado and takes home $59,000 a year, or $2,269 every two weeks. A few Denver-area cities add a small flat occupational privilege tax instead of an income tax: $5.75 a month in Denver. Read the Colorado guide.
Iowa paychecks in brief
Iowa taxes wages at a flat 3.8% in 2026, applied after the same $16,100 standard deduction a single filer takes on the federal return. On a $75,000 salary that means $2,198 in Iowa income tax and $59,394 in take-home pay, or $2,284 every two weeks. The Iowa wrinkle is the school district surtax: many districts add a percentage of your state tax when you file, which costs $110 at that salary in Cedar Rapids and nothing in Des Moines or Davenport. Read the Iowa guide.
Colorado vs Iowa: FAQ
Does Colorado or Iowa have lower income taxes in 2026?
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $394 more a year in Iowa than in Colorado ($33 a month). Colorado has a flat 4.4% income tax for 2026. Iowa has a flat 3.8% income tax for 2026.
What salary in Iowa equals $75,000 in Colorado?
To take home the same $59,000 that $75,000 leaves in Colorado, you would need about $74,400 in Iowa, based on income, payroll, and state taxes only. Housing and other living costs are not included.
How much more do high earners keep in Iowa than in Colorado?
At $150,000 the gap is $844 a year: $107,899 in Colorado versus $108,743 in Iowa. With flat or no state tax, the gap grows roughly in line with salary.
What if I live in Colorado and work in Iowa?
Colorado and Iowa do not have a reciprocity agreement, so Iowa withholds tax on wages earned there and Colorado generally gives residents a credit for tax paid to the other state. You effectively pay the higher of the two rates.
Do local taxes change the Colorado vs Iowa comparison?
Colorado has local wage taxes in places like Denver ($5.75/month), Greenwood Village ($2/month), Sheridan ($3/month). Iowa has local wage taxes in places like Des Moines (School district surtax), Cedar Rapids (School district surtax), Davenport (School district surtax). Those are on top of the statewide figures above, so check the city calculators if you live or work in one of them.