Colorado vs Wyoming
Same underlying data as the individual state pages, side by side. Statutory rates and redemption windows only — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.
| | Colorado | Wyoming |
|---|---|---|
| Sale type | Tax lien certificate | Tax lien certificate |
| Rate / penalty | 13% for 2026 (discount rate + 9), premium bidding | 15% + one-time 3% penalty, no bidding |
| Redemption | 3+ years | 4+ years |
Both states run the same kind of sale — tax lien certificate — so the real difference between them comes down to rate and redemption, not the underlying mechanism.
Redemption windows differ: Colorado gives owners 3+ years, Wyoming gives 4+ years — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Colorado's rate is nine points above the federal discount rate, set each September 1 by the State Bank Commissioner (C.R.S. 39-12-103): 13% for liens sold from October 1, 2026. Bidders compete on a premium that goes to the county and earns no interest (C.R.S. 39-11-115). From August 1 of the third calendar year after the sale the holder can apply for a treasurer's deed, which now means a public auction (C.R.S. art. 11.5); the owner can redeem until seven days before it.
Full Colorado page →Wyoming certificates are sold for the amount due, with no bidding on rate or price; when several buyers want a parcel, the county draws a number. The owner repays the price plus a one-time 3% and 15% simple interest a year (W.S. 39-13-109(e)(iv)), and can redeem until the holder's deed application is accepted, which is allowed from four to six years after the sale (W.S. 39-13-108(e)(v)).
Full Wyoming page →Property & tax market
| | Colorado | Wyoming |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $539,400 | $309,700 |
| Median property tax / year | $2,602 | $1,767 |
| Tax / home value | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Tax / household income | 2.7% | 2.3% |
| Homes owned outright | 30.6% | 44.2% |
| “Other vacant” homes | 1.7% | 4.4% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1981 |
A typical home in Colorado pays 1.5× the property tax of one in Wyoming ($2,602 against $1,767 a year). One unpaid year is roughly the face value of a one-year certificate, so a typical Colorado lien ties up about 1.5× the money of a Wyoming one — and, at the same rate, earns 1.5× the dollars.
Homes owned outright — where no lender has a reason to pay the delinquent bill for the owner — are 30.6% of owner-occupied homes in Colorado and 44.2% in Wyoming. The Census “other vacant” share (foreclosures, homes in legal limbo or needing repairs, abandoned homes) is 1.7% against 4.4%: Wyoming has more of the empty properties that tend to go unredeemed — and to need work if the deed ends up yours.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013). Medians of what owners report paying, not statutory rates. County-level figures are on each state page.
Quick answers
Is Colorado or Wyoming a tax lien state?+
Colorado is a tax lien certificate state. Wyoming is a tax lien certificate state.
Which has the higher rate, Colorado or Wyoming?+
Colorado: 13% for 2026 (discount rate + 9), premium bidding. Wyoming: 15% + one-time 3% penalty, no bidding. Compare the actual statutory ceiling, not just the headline number — most "up to" rates get bid down at auction.
Which redeems faster, Colorado or Wyoming?+
Redemption windows differ: Colorado gives owners 3+ years, Wyoming gives 4+ years — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Are property taxes higher in Colorado or Wyoming?+
The median homeowner pays $2,602 a year in Colorado and $1,767 in Wyoming (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). A typical home in Colorado pays 1.5× the property tax of one in Wyoming ($2,602 against $1,767 a year). One unpaid year is roughly the face value of a one-year certificate, so a typical Colorado lien ties up about 1.5× the money of a Wyoming one — and, at the same rate, earns 1.5× the dollars.
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See where these two rank against all 50 states: full rankings.
This page is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rates and redemption periods are set by state statute and can change by county or legislative session — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.