Aspen (Colorado) vs Dallas (Texas): tax, residence and cost 2026

Aspen vs Dallas.

Aspen against Dallas, both in 🇺🇸 United States, on tax, residence, cost, and the life. Same model, same year, no brochure.

In short, current to September 2026

On $1,000,000 of income, Aspen takes an effective 37% and Dallas takes 33%, so Dallas leaves about $44K more in hand each year on Patrician's 2026 model.
On a capital gain realized after residence begins, Aspen charges 28% and Dallas charges 24%. On a $5,000,000 event that is a difference of about $220K.
The United States operates no special regime for arriving foreigners, so both are modeled on ordinary resident rates.
Inheritance, what a child pays: 40% above $15M in Aspen, 40% above $15M in Dallas.
Route in: Aspen by Residence by investment, Founder & talent. Dallas by Residence by investment, Founder & talent.
Cost of the life is 125 in Aspen against 62 in Dallas on Patrician's index where Zurich is 100, and safety 9 against 6 of 10. Both are Patrician editorial indices scored by us, not published statistics.

Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 47 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to September 2026. Updated 26 September 2026. Cite as: Patrician.ch, Aspen (Colorado) vs Dallas (Texas): tax, residence and cost 2026, patrician.ch/compare/asp-vs-dal/, September 2026.

	Aspen	Dallas
Effective tax at $300K	29%	25%
Effective tax at $1M	37%	33%
Effective tax at $3M	40%	36%
Kept at $1M	$630K	$674K
Capital gains	28%	24%
Inheritance tax, children	40% above $15M	40% above $15M
Cost index (Zurich 100)	125	62
Safety	9/10	6/10
Schools	7/10	7/10
Sun hours	2,900	2,850
Supercar street index	#49	#44
Routes in	Residence by investment, Founder & talent	Residence by investment, Founder & talent
Net millionaire inflow 2025 (country, Henley)	+7,500	+7,500
Flight London	10.4	10.3
Flight New York	4.5	3.8

Simplified marginal model, indicative 2026 brackets, non-US single filer, no social contributions, deductions, wealth taxes, or treaties. Inheritance is shown as it falls on a child, current to September 2026.

By profile

How each profile reads.

For an executive on salary

Dallas (Texas) keeps more of a $1M salary, $44K a year on this model. Aspen (Colorado) answers with safety.

For a founder with an exit

Capital gains: Aspen 28%, Dallas 24%. Neither city taxes wealth as such.

For a family

Aspen (Colorado) leads on safety and sun, Dallas (Texas) on a lower cost. Schools are level.

AspenThe full page DallasThe full page Rank both on my numbersThe engine, 90 seconds

Questions

Which keeps more of a $1M income, Aspen or Dallas?

Dallas, by about $44K a year on Patrician.ch's 2026 model.

Aspen takes an effective 37% of $1,000,000 and Dallas takes 33%. At $3,000,000 the rates are 40% and 36%.

Which taxes capital gains less, Aspen or Dallas?

Dallas, at 24% against 28% in Aspen.

On a $5,000,000 liquidity event realized after residence begins, the difference is about $220K.

Which is better for inheritance, Aspen or Dallas?

Both tax children. What a child pays: 40% above $15M in Aspen, 40% above $15M in Dallas.

The US taxes an estate at 40% above $15M per person in 2026. A US citizen spouse inherits free.

Which is cheaper to live in, Aspen or Dallas?

Dallas, at 62 on the Patrician.ch cost index against 125 for Aspen, where Zurich is 100.

Safety scores 9 of 10 in Aspen and 6 of 10 in Dallas, schools 7 and 7. These are Patrician.ch editorial indices, not published statistics.

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The general case, ranked: Where should high earners live in 2026 · Best country to live in if you are rich · Best countries for high earners after tax · Europe · United States · Americans moving abroad · Tax calculator · Keep Index 2026

Tax figures use a simplified marginal model with indicative 2026 brackets for a non-US single filer, ignore social contributions, most deductions, wealth taxes, and treaties, and are not advice. Residence rules change often. Verify before acting.