State desk
Ranks 37th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Colorado stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 22 Colorado outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Colorado in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A permit is required; sheriffs must issue a concealed-handgun permit to qualified applicants meeting objective criteria.
Colorado is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Colorado taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 4.40 percent, ranking 29 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Colorado is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Colorado charges 30.18 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 26 of 50, which is near the middle nationally. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 48.58 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 35.68 cents.
Colorado is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Among the Highest17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 2020.
Colorado is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Not right-to-work; its unique Labor Peace Act allows union-security only after a supermajority vote.
Colorado is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $15.16, above the federal $7.25 floor; adjusted annually for inflation.
Colorado is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
Voters are asked for ID that need not bear a photo, but may still vote by signing an affidavit if lacking one.
Colorado is 1 of 8 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID14 · No Document Required
No statewide private-choice program; an earlier local voucher was struck down by courts.
Colorado is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal16 · Limited Program
Colorado permits the use of deadly force in self-defense through judicial decisions or jury instructions rather than a stand-your-ground statute. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Colorado is 1 of 7 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Every registered voter is automatically mailed a ballot for all elections; no request is required.
Colorado is 1 of 8 states with this rule
29 · No-Excuse Absentee13 · Excuse Required
Colorado's unemployment rate was 4.1% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, up 0.1 percentage points from 4.0% in August. It ranks 31st lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), down from 27th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 3.8%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Colorado is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court