Colton, CA · Updated Oct 2026

What a Colton house pays

Property tax, water, trash and energy from public rates. Look up your address to make it yours, and see how to pay less.

Sent only to free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a Colton house

$10,994a year · $916 a month

Starts at the typical market value, $443,800; your assessed value is often lower. Typical use.

A Colton house at the typical market value ($443,800) pays about $11,000 a year: $5,300 property tax and charges, $1,470 water and sewer, $400 trash, $2,330 electricity and gas, $1,490 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 22, 2026. Insurance: what you enter, or a typical premium until you do. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Ways to pay less

Nothing here applies to every house automatically. These are worth checking:

Low income: 25% off your electric bill (37% for seniors 65+)25% off (37% for low-income seniors)
Colton Electric Utility gives income-qualified customers a 25% discount each month for 12 months; low-income account holders over 65 can get 37%. Income limits from July 1, 2026 are $43,280 for a household of 1 or 2, $54,640 for 3 and $66,000 for 4.
How: Apply online or send the Residential Low Income Assistance Program application with proof of income to City Hall, 650 N. La Cadena Drive; questions: (909) 370-5518.
Water rebates and turf removalUp to $800 for turf removal
Colton Water Utilities pays $100 per high-efficiency toilet (limit 3), $75 for a high-efficiency washer or dishwasher, up to $150 for a weather-based irrigation timer, and $2 per square foot of lawn replaced, up to $800 per project; applications must be pre-approved before you buy or install.
How: Email conservation@coltonca.gov or call 909-370-6145 for the rebate applications.
Medical need: more power at the lowest tier
Colton Electric Utility's Medical Baseline Billing program increases the kWh in the first billing tier for customers who need medical equipment, with a separate application for medical air conditioning or heating; it lasts one year and must be renewed.
How: Send the application with a doctor's note to City of Colton Utility Billing, 650 N. La Cadena Drive; questions: Energy Services 909-514-4214.
Free mattress drop-off and community dump days
CR&R accepts old mattresses and box springs from Colton residents for free at 2059 E Steel Rd, and the City holds community dump days four times a year for residential customers.
How: Bring your current City of Colton utility bill and a photo ID to a community dump day.
A/C tune-up rebate up to $60Up to $60
Colton Electric Utility offers residential customers with an A/C unit of 5 tons or less a tune-up rebate of up to $60, first-come, first-served.
How: Send the Air Conditioner Tune-Up Rebate Application with proof of purchase; questions: (909) 370-5584.

Adjust to match your bills

What you knowTrash cartStandard residential service is three carts (trash, recycling and organics), either all 64-gallon or all 96-gallon, at the same monthly rate; an additional trash cart is $11.33 a month.

Value before exemptionsUnder Prop 13 your assessed value starts at your purchase price and can rise at most 2% a year, so it is often far below market: use the assessed value on your tax bill. Some neighborhoods pay more: Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District No. I zones charge $52.82 a year per single-family home in Cooley Ranch, $53.46 in Reche Canyon, $56.26 in Old Colton, $104.38 in West Valley and $342.92 in La Loma Hills for 2026/27, and District No. II tracts pay $245.98 or $695.62. Your tax bill lists them.

I live here and have the Homeowners' exemption

Home insurance, a yearFrom your policy. We start at $1,492, NAIC data via the Insurance Information Institute; California figures from the California Department of Insurance.

Earthquake insurance, a yearSeparate from home insurance. Most owners don't have it.

Your use

Water, units a month

On your water bill. 1 unit (CCF) is 748 gallons. A typical house uses 7–12.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your Colton Electric Utility bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Nov 30, 2026in 38 daysLast day to file a 2026 regular assessment appeal in San Bernardino County (filing runs July 2 to November 30, 2026).
Dec 10in 48 daysFirst property tax installment (due Nov 1) is delinquent after Dec 10: 10% penalty.
Feb 15in 115 daysLast day for a first-time homeowners' exemption claim to get the full exemption for the year.
Apr 10Second property tax installment (due Feb 1) becomes delinquent on Apr 10; taxes not paid by the delinquent date get a 10% penalty.

Who serves this house

Water: Depends on your address; City of Colton or West Valley Water District
Property tax: 1.21% of value; 2026-27 tax year, San Bernardino County (Colton tax rate area 002-000)
Garbage: CR&R; CR&R provides refuse and trash service; all residential accounts are billed through the City of Colton.
Sewer: City of Colton; The City owns, operates and maintains Colton's wastewater collection, pumping and treatment system.
Electricity: Colton Electric Utility; Colton Electric Utility, owned by the City, serves an area co-terminus with the City of Colton's city limits and sphere of influence.
Gas: SoCalGas; Gas service is provided by Southern California Gas Company.

Pay or manage your bills

Your water

Source: Colton's drinking water comes from seven wells drawing on the Colton/Rialto, Bunker Hill and North Riverside groundwater basins, plus an interconnection with the City of Rialto.
Hardness: Total hardness in Colton's water ranged from 150 to 230 mg/L (average 206.67) in the 2025 report.
PFAS: PFOS was found at 6 to 20 ng/L (average 13.75) in 2025, against a notification level of 4 ng/L; PFOA at 3.1 to 10 ng/L (average 5.34).
Lead: The 2025 lead sampling 90th percentile result was 0 ug/L; the City reports no water quality violations.

West Valley Water District serves part of Colton (shown as another option here), and Riverside Highland Water Company a small area; check the provider on your water bill.

Other CA cities

How these numbers are made

Individual bills are confidential in California, so we calculate yours from public rates and what you tell us.
Water: by our count of homes with a homeowners' exemption inside each system's boundary on the EPA service-area map, the City of Colton serves about 85% of Colton's homes, West Valley Water District about 13% and Riverside Highland Water Company about 2%, so the City is the default. City of Colton (July 1, 2026 step of Ordinance O-06-24): $36.75 a month for a 5/8- or 3/4-inch meter plus $2.89 per HCF for all water used. The City publishes no typical household use, so the page starts at 9 HCF. West Valley Water District (January 1, 2026): $23.82 a month for a 5/8- or 3/4-inch meter plus $2.33, $2.54 and $2.73 per unit for 1-10, 11-30 and over 30 units. Riverside Highland's small area is not modeled.
Sewer: the City's flat residential rate of $59.90 a month per dwelling unit from July 1, 2026 (Ordinance O-07-24), which we also apply to homes on West Valley water. Trash: CR&R's Standard Residential rate of $33.51 a month in the City's FY 2026-27 schedule (billing effective July 1, 2026), the same for three 64-gallon or three 96-gallon carts, on the City utility bill.
Property tax: tax rate area 002-000 (Colton Joint Unified, San Bernardino Community College and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District), the area with the most homeowners' exemptions in Colton on the county's 2025 tax rate area map (about 26% of them); areas with the same districts hold about 83%. San Bernardino County's 2026-27 rates (Attachment A): about 1.2082% in total, less the $7,000 homeowners' exemption, applied to the value you enter. About 17% of Colton's exempt homes are in Rialto Unified areas instead (about 1.1944% in total). The starting value is the Census median market value; under Prop 13 a home's assessed value can be far lower.
Fixed charges: the City's storm water management fee, collected on every parcel through the county tax roll; the City gives $24.13 as the average residential fee for 2026/27 (the actual fee depends on land use and parcel size). Not included because they depend on the neighborhood: Landscape and Lighting Maintenance Districts No. I (zones with about 5,010 benefit units, $52.82 to $342.92 per home a year) and No. II ($245.98 or $695.62), and the City's small CFDs 2021-1 and 2021-2.
Electricity: Colton Electric Utility's residential rate for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027: the $15 monthly facilities charge plus the three tiers, each with the $0.00712 public benefits charge added ($0.2199, $0.29981 and $0.37712 per kWh); the rates are the same all year and the Power Cost Adjustment has been $0.00 since October 2025. The page starts at 500 kWh, the average home in the City's 2025 rate study. Gas: SoCalGas's August 2026 average non-CARE bill ($68.91 at 35 therms), taken as including the $0.16-a-day customer charge (about $4.87 a month), so $4.87 a month plus $1.830 per therm. Insurance starts at the 2022 California average.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How Colton compares

A typical Colton house against the 110 California cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	Colton	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	1.21%	1.13%	higher than 87 of the other 109 California cities we cover
Water	$753	$955	lower than 85 of the other 109 California cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$719	$584	higher than 50 of the other 76 California cities we cover
Trash	$402	$438	lower than 65 of the other 101 California cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$2,326	$3,556	lower than 106 of the other 109 California cities we cover
Home insurance	$1,492	$1,492	in the middle of 108 other California cities we cover
Total	$10,994	$15,240	lower than 104 of the other 109 California cities we cover

Cities bill differently (some put trash on the tax bill, some cover more services), so a higher number isn't necessarily worse. The property tax rate is compared instead of dollars because house values differ.

Questions to ask your candidates

Each one starts from a number above. Any candidate can answer them.

1. Property tax rate

The fact: Colton's property tax rate is 1.21%, higher than 87 of the other 109 California cities we cover. The rate adds up every agency on the bill, not only the city.

Ask: "Property tax in Colton is 1.21%, higher than 87 of the other 109 California cities we cover. What should that money pay for first, and would you change anything about how it is set?"

2. Water

The fact: Water here costs about $753 a year at typical use, lower than 85 of the other 109 California cities we cover.

Ask: "Water here costs about $753 a year at typical use, lower than 85 of the other 109 California cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

3. Electricity and gas

The fact: Electricity and gas for a typical house here cost about $2,326 a year, lower than 106 of the other 109 California cities we cover. Rates are set mostly by the utility and the state.

Ask: "Electricity and gas here cost about $2,326 a year for a typical house, lower than 106 of the other 109 California cities we cover. Which parts of that can the city influence, and what would you do about them?"

See who is running in your city →

Common questions about Colton house costs

What is the property tax rate in Colton?

About 1.21% of the value before exemptions a year (2026-27 tax year, San Bernardino County (Colton tax rate area 002-000)), plus flat charges on the same bill (Storm water management fee (average residential) $24).

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Colton?

About $5,981 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowners' exemption, including $24 of flat charges.

How much is the water bill in Colton?

About $123 a month for water and sewer at typical use (9 units, or 6,732 gallons a month) on City of Colton.

How much does trash pickup cost in Colton?

$34 a month for a house.

When is property tax due in Colton?

Dec 10: First property tax installment (due Nov 1) is delinquent after Dec 10: 10% penalty. Apr 10: Second property tax installment (due Feb 1) becomes delinquent on Apr 10; taxes not paid by the delinquent date get a 10% penalty.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Colton?

Yes. Low income: 25% off your electric bill (37% for seniors 65+): Colton Electric Utility gives income-qualified customers a 25% discount each month for 12 months; low-income account holders over 65 can get 37%. Income limits from July 1, 2026 are $43,280 for a household of 1 or 2, $54,640 for 3 and $66,000 for 4.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Colton?

Low income: 25% off your electric bill (37% for seniors 65+): Colton Electric Utility gives income-qualified customers a 25% discount each month for 12 months; low-income account holders over 65 can get 37%. Income limits from July 1, 2026 are $43,280 for a household of 1 or 2, $54,640 for 3 and $66,000 for 4. Apply online or send the Residential Low Income Assistance Program application with proof of income to City Hall, 650 N. La Cadena Drive; questions: (909) 370-5518.

How much does a house in Colton cost to run each year?

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