Colorado
A guide to help you understand the ins and outs of business in Colorado
Overview
Colorado is located in the Mountain West region of the United States. Denver is both the capital and the largest city of Colorado. It remains the 8th largest state by land area, but it has shifted to become the 20th most populous state, with 6,012,561 residents. Colorado's Gross Domestic Product is $596,699,000,000.
The top industries in Colorado are aerospace and defense, agriculture, bioscience, energy, outdoor recreation and tourism, financial services, and technology. Colorado is recognized as the third most concentrated tech economy in the nation, fueled by a dense startup ecosystem and massive venture capital infusions that support over 300,000 technology workers . The outdoor recreation industry remains a core economic powerhouse, directly contributing $18.1 billion in value-added output to the state's economy, while generating over $37 billion in annual consumer spending.
Colorado exported $38,620,000 to Qatar, with its primary outbound commodities shifting toward high-tech and industrial manufacturing. The state's leading export sectors driving this growth include electrical machinery, telecommunications and sound/TV equipment, nuclear reactors, heavy boilers, mechanical machinery, and specialized optical, photographic, and medical or surgical instruments.
Thank you to our valued sponsor
Colorado features a flat corporate income tax rate of 4.40% assessed on net taxable income. The state hosts 4 official foreign trade zones—including the multi-county FTZ #123 serving the greater Denver metro region, alongside specialized zones at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Colorado Springs, and Windsor. Additionally, Colorado offers a robust suite of economic development incentives, highlighted by the Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit, which covers up to 50% of FICA costs for qualifying new positions, and the newly updated Enterprise Zone Tax Credits, which provide a 3% tax reduction on business personal property investments to spur growth in targeted regional economies.
Overview
Data
Reports
- Colorado 2019 SelectUSA FDI Report
- Global Business Alliance Colorado
- USTDA 2020 Interim Update Colorado
- USDA Report
Agencies
- Colorado Department of Revenue
- Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade
- Colorado Department of Revenue
- Colorado Office of International Trade
- Colorado Department of Treasury
- Colorado State Trade Directory
- US Commercial Services in Colorado
Organizations and Firms
- Colorado Business Search
- Non Profit 501c3 Organizations in the State of Colorado (CO)
- Colorado Economic Development Commission
- Economic Development Council of Colorado
- Colorado International World Trade Center
- Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Initiatives
- Programs and Initiatives
- Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
- International Investment
- Co-Invest
