Aspen, United States
Head to head

Aspen vs Las Vegas.

Las Vegas leaves about $43K more of a $1M income in hand each year than Aspen, on the Patrician.ch 2026 model. Both in 🇺🇸 United States, compared on tax, residence, cost and the life.

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In short, current to October 2026

  • State income tax on $1,000,000: $43,292 in Aspen (Colorado), and none in Las Vegas, since Nevada has no state income tax. Federal income tax, $320,000, is the same in both at this income, so the whole difference is state tax.
  • On $1,000,000 of income, Aspen takes an effective 36% and Las Vegas takes 32%, federal and state together, so Las Vegas leaves about $43K more in hand each year on the Patrician.ch 2026 model.
  • On a capital gain realized after residence begins, the total is 28% in Aspen and 24% in Las Vegas. Federal tax is the same in both, and the gap is state tax: 4.4% in Colorado, none in Nevada. On a $5,000,000 event that is about $220K.
  • Estate: the federal estate tax, 40% above $15M per person in 2026 and paid by the estate, is the same in both. Neither Colorado nor Nevada has an estate or inheritance tax of its own.
  • Cost of the life is 125 in Aspen against 70 in Las Vegas on the Patrician.ch index where Zurich is 100, and safety 9 against 5 of 10. Both are Patrician.ch 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 October 2026. Updated . Cite as: Patrician.ch, Aspen (Colorado) vs Las Vegas (Nevada): tax, residence and cost 2026, patrician.ch/compare/aspen-vs-las-vegas/, October 2026.

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By the Patrician.ch research desk · Updated 29 October 2026 · 8 min read
Aspen, United States
Aspen 🇺🇸 United States
Las Vegas, United States
Las Vegas 🇺🇸 United States
AspenLas Vegas
Effective tax at $300K27%23%
Effective tax at $1M36%32%
Federal income tax at $1M$320,000$320,000
State income tax at $1M$43,292None
Effective tax at $3M40%35%
Kept after tax at $1M$637K$680K
Capital gains28%24%
State tax on a capital gain4.4%None
Inheritance tax, children40% above $15M40% above $15M
Cost index (Zurich 100)12570
A 200 m² prime home, US$$12.2MNot published
Prestige of address (editorial)9/105/10
Safety9/105/10
Schools7/104/10
Sun hours3,1303,800
Supercar street index#48#6
Flight from London12h 25m, 1 stop10h 40m nonstop
Flight from New York4h 50m nonstop5h 55m nonstop
See these 2 places for your own income.Aspen and Las Vegas, side by side on your income, passports and family. Free, in the ranking of all 100. Then the Dossier: a written report in 10 chapters on the 3 places that rank first for you. The Dossier is $500. The founding price, $250, holds until 31 October.
Compare them on my income →

Head to head

Effective income tax rate, % of income, at 3 incomes

$300K$1M$3MAspen27%36%40%Las Vegas23%32%35%

Note: single filer, federal and state together

Source: Patrician.ch 2026 tax model, built on official tax authority rates

Simplified marginal model, indicative 2026 brackets, single filer resident in the US. At $1M federal income tax is the same in both places, and the state rows show what each state adds. No social contributions, property tax or sales tax. Inheritance is shown as it falls on a child, current to October 2026.

By profile

How each profile reads.

For an executive on salary

Las Vegas (Nevada) keeps more of a $1M salary, $43K a year on this model. The whole gap is Colorado income tax. Aspen (Colorado) answers with schools and safety.

For a founder with an exit

Capital gains: Aspen 28%, Las Vegas 24%. Neither city levies an annual wealth tax.

For a family

Aspen (Colorado) leads on schools and safety, Las Vegas (Nevada) on a lower cost and sun.

Questions

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

Las Vegas, by about $43K a year on Patrician.ch's 2026 model.

Aspen takes an effective 36% of $1,000,000 and Las Vegas takes 32%. At $3,000,000 the rates are 40% and 35%.

Which taxes capital gains less, Aspen or Las Vegas?

Las Vegas, 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 Las Vegas?

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

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 Las Vegas?

Las Vegas, at 70 on the Patrician.ch cost index against 125 for Aspen, where Zurich is 100.

Safety scores 9 of 10 in Aspen and 5 of 10 in Las Vegas, schools 7 and 4. These are Patrician.ch editorial indices, not published statistics.

The Dossier: Aspen, Las Vegas, and the third you have not considered.A written report on the 3 places that rank first for you, on your income, a sale, your passports and your family. 10 chapters, written the moment you pay. Every tax figure carries its official source and the date it was last checked. The Dossier is $500. The founding price, $250, holds until 31 October. Refunded in full within 7 days of delivery, no reason needed.
Read chapters 1 to 3, free →
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Figures are for a single filer resident in the US, federal and state together. Not advice. Tax rules change often. Verify before acting.

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