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Aerial image of Arvada, ColoradoPhoto: Mvanderkolk · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Arvada

Arvada spent less per resident in 2022 than 73% of similar cities

Arvada’s city government spent $133.9 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,098 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($22.3 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in Colorado.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$133.9M
year to December 31, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,098
In 2022: $1,098, less than 73% of 15 similar cities
Long-term debt
$106.5M
end of 2022, reported
City staff, 2025
737
full-time · 16 part-time · March payroll $6.2M
Typical tax bill
$3,223
0.51% of home value · CO 0.48%

What stands out about how Arvada is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends less than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,098 per resident, less than 73% of 15 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer25% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Jefferson County School District R-1 with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Arvada’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct28
    Transportation CommitteeWednesday · 5:30 pm · 8101 Ralston Road, Anne Campbell RoomTransportation Committee MeetingAgenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct27
    City CouncilTuesday · 6:00 pm · 8101 Ralston Road, Council ChambersCity Council WorkshopAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct26
    Liquor Licensing AuthorityMonday · 10:00 am · Council ChambersLiquor Licensing Authority Meeting - CancelledMeeting page ↗
  • Oct21
    Festivals CommissionWednesday · 6:30 pm · 8101 Ralston Road, Anne Campbell RoomFestivals Commission MeetingMeeting page ↗
  • Oct21
    Planning CommissionWednesday · 6:15 pm · 8101 Ralston Road, Council ChambersPlanning Commission Meeting CANCELLEDMeeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,098 per resident a year, or $3.01 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 27%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 46%Fees & charges 17%Utility sales 15%Other taxes & licenses 4%From the state 4%Property taxes 4%Interest, fines & other 3%From the federal government 3%From other local governments 3%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $18.9 million; interest on debt $3.6 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $178.6 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,098 per resident in 2022: less than 73% of them

Arvada’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,098 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 15 Colorado cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,480, and the middle half spent $1,068–$2,028. Arvada spent less than 73% of them.

Middle half of the group, $1,068–$2,028Median $1,480Arvada

Includes sewer and trash ($17.1 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
15

Colorado cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Arvada itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Arvada reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau (2024 is an estimate), so there is no trend yet.

City staff
737

full-time in March 2025, up from 650 in 2022. Both are Census estimates.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $3,223 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.51% of the home’s value, vs 0.48% across Colorado.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Fairmount$4,257
Arvada$3,223
Berkley$2,936
Wheat Ridge$2,757
Westminster$2,614
Colorado$2,602
$3,223
typical bill a year
0.51%
effective rate
$632,600
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Arvada’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Arvada’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Arvada →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Arvada

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See arvada.org for Arvada’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Arvada yet.arvada.org ↗
Who works for Arvada

One full-time city employee for every 165 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (121,936).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Police288 + 4 pt
Administration & buildings120
Parks & libraries86
Water & other utilities75 + 4 pt
Roads & transportation58
Housing & development37
Courts, inspections & corrections29 + 5 pt
Sewer & trash31
Health & welfare13 + 3 pt
737
full-time
16
part-time
$6.2M
payroll for March 2025
$74.7M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$100,000
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
217
sworn police officers
Not compared.Staff are compared with the same group as the budget, and Arvada’s 2022 budget was a Census estimate, so there is no group to compare with.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Jefferson County School District R-1

Arvada’s K–12 school district, shared with Edgewater, Golden, Lakeside, Lakewood, Morrison and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Arvada →
$15,276
per pupil · CO $15,889
74,251
students
$804 million
long-term debt

Of the $15,276 per pupil, $8,089 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 56%State 37%Federal 8%

Colorado districts overall: 55% local, 37% state, 8% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Arvada’s votes are counted by county

Colorado reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Arvada alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Jefferson County’s results.

President · Jefferson County’s results361,716 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat58.3%210,875 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican38.8%140,505 votes

Others: 2.9% (10,336 votes).

Most votes in Jefferson County: Kamala D Harris

Colorado: Harris 54.1%, Trump 43.1%

The county’s page

98% of Arvada lies in Jefferson County; the rest in Adams County. Every 2024 race in Jefferson County is on the county’s page.

Jefferson County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Arvada

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Arvada.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: arvada.org ↗
  2. 2
    Colorado HouseArvada is split between 2 districts
    Brianna TitoneLisa Feret
  3. 3
    Colorado SenateState senator
    Lindsey DaughertyLisa Cutter
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Jared Polis
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Brittany Pettersen
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Colorado
    Michael F. BennetJohn W. Hickenlooper
Find your state legislators by address ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Arvada compares with the towns next door

Arvada spent $1,098 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $1,350 to $1,480. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Fairmount: unincorporated, no town budgetWheat Ridge: $1,350 per resident (2022)Westminster: $1,480 per resident (2022)Berkley: unincorporated, no town budgetFairmountWheat RidgeWestminsterBerkleyArvada
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Wheat Ridge$1,350$2,757
Westminster$1,480$2,614
Arvada$1,098$3,223

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Arvada’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitearvada.org ↗

Questions about Arvada’s government

How much does Arvada spend per resident?

About $1,098 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,098 was less than 73% of 15 Colorado cities of 100,000–249,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Arvada?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,223 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.51% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.48% across Colorado. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see arvada.org.

Who runs Arvada’s government?

See arvada.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Arvada yet.

How did Arvada vote in 2024?

Colorado counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Arvada alone. Jefferson County, where 98% of Arvada lies, voted Harris 58.3%, Trump 38.8% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Arvada?

737 full-time and 16 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $6.2M (about $74.7M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Arvada in the state legislature?

Arvada is split among 2 State House districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Colorado Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Arvada?

The next posted meeting is City Council on Tuesday, November 3, at 6:00 pm in 8101 Ralston Road, Council Chambers, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Arvada’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →