Anthem Highlands Metro District Tax Explained: What You Actually Pay in 2026

Last Updated: April 2026

Anthem Highlands homeowners pay a total mill levy of 146.322 for 2026 collection, which includes a 40-mill Highlands Metro District #2 bond levy on top of standard Broomfield county, city, school, and fire mills. On a $750,000 home, that works out to roughly $7,900 to $8,200 per year, all in.

Per the Broomfield Assessor's certified Mill Levies by District report dated December 31, 2025, the total overlapping mill levy in tax area 3023 (North Park West BURA Highlands MD #2), where most Anthem Highlands homes sit, is 146.322 mills for 2026 collection. The 40-mill Highlands MD #2 bond levy funds the community's infrastructure debt.

What "Metro District Tax" Actually Means

Anthem Highlands was built using a Title 32 metropolitan district, the same financing mechanism used in Anthem, Baseline, and dozens of other master-planned communities across the Denver metro. The metro district issues bonds upfront to pay for streets, water and sanitation, parks, trails, and other public improvements, then repays those bonds through a property tax mill levy on the homes inside the district. Baselinecolorado

The alternative would be rolling that infrastructure cost into your home price. Builders chose the metro district route, which gets you a lower sticker price and a higher property tax bill. The total cost of ownership is similar; the structure is just different.

The Anthem Highlands Mill Levy Stack for 2026

Here's the actual breakdown of what makes up that 146.322 total mill levy in tax area 3023, the standard Anthem Highlands tax area, per the Broomfield Assessor's certified report.

The Highlands MD #2 line is the one buyers fixate on, but it's only 27% of the total bill. Schools alone are bigger.

Running the Math on a $750,000 Anthem Highlands Home

Colorado property tax is a three-part calculation: actual value, assessment rate, mill levy. For tax year 2025, paid in 2026, the residential assessment rate is 7.05% for school mill levies and 6.25% for non-school mill levies. Broomfield

On a $750,000 actual-value home in Anthem Highlands:

• School portion: $750,000 × 7.05% × 57.7 mills / 1,000 = roughly $3,050

• Non-school portion: $750,000 × 6.25% × 88.6 mills / 1,000 = roughly $4,150

• Estimated total annual property tax: roughly $7,900 to $8,200

That's an effective rate of about 1.05% to 1.10% of actual value, which is higher than Broomfield's countywide average of around 0.55% but still well below Texas (1.40% state average), Illinois (2.07% state average), and most major California metros once you factor Mello-Roos.

Why the Metro District Tax Will Eventually Drop

Colorado law caps metro district debt mill levies at 50 mills, limits operating mill levies to 20 mills, and caps the term at 40 years. Metrodistricteducation Once Highlands MD #2 retires its bonds, the 40-mill bond levy comes off your bill. A smaller operations levy may stay to fund ongoing district maintenance, but the big number drops.

The wildcard is whether the district refinances or issues new bonds for additional improvements. That can extend the timeline.

How This Compares to Anthem and Baseline

Both Anthem (via Anthem West Metropolitan District) and Baseline (via Baseline Metropolitan District) use the same metro district structure. Anthem West Metropolitan District kept its debt service mill levy at 18 mills for tax imposition year 2024, collected in 2025, well below the 50-mill cap. Colorado Baseline's mill levy varies by sub-district.

Net effect: all three communities carry layered mill levies. Total effective rates land in a similar 1.0% to 1.2% range. I cover the full side-by-side in my Anthem vs Anthem Highlands vs Baseline comparison and in the broader metro district taxes in Broomfield breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Anthem Highlands metro district mill levy in 2026? Per the Broomfield Assessor, the total overlapping mill levy in tax area 3023 is 146.322 for 2026 collection. Of that, 40 mills come from the Highlands MD #2 bond levy.

How much will I actually pay on a $750K home in Anthem Highlands? Roughly $7,900 to $8,200 per year using the 2025 assessment rates of 7.05% (school) and 6.25% (non-school).

What does the metro district pay for? Streets, water and sanitation, parks, trails, stormwater, and other public improvements built when the community was developed. The district issued bonds to pay for it; you repay through the mill levy.

Will the metro district tax go away? The bond portion (40 mills today) is set to come off once the underlying bonds are paid off, capped at 40 years total. A smaller operations levy may remain.

Is this normal for master-planned communities in Colorado? Yes. Anthem, Baseline, McKay Landing, Midcities, and most newer master-planned communities in the Denver metro use metro districts. It's the standard financing structure for new infrastructure in Colorado.

Looking at homes in Anthem Highlands? I'll pull the exact tax area for any specific address and show you the real annual bill before you write an offer.

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