The median home price in Aurora is $480,000, with a local 30-year mortgage rate of 6.9%. A buyer putting 20% down carries a loan of $384,000, generating a monthly P&I payment of $2,529. Adding property taxes ($224/mo) and homeowners insurance ($200/mo) brings total monthly PITI to $2,953.
Aurora's property tax rate of 0.56% is among the lower rates in the country, which improves overall affordability by keeping total PITI closer to the principal and interest payment alone. On the Aurora median home, that is $224/month, or $2,688 per year.
Colorado levies a state income tax, which affects take-home pay and effective buying power. High-income earners in Aurora should factor state tax liability into their overall housing budget — mortgage interest may be deductible on both federal and state returns.