Yes. Wheat Ridge is one of the few Denver-area cities that taxes groceries, at its full 3.5% city rate plus Jefferson County’s 0.5%. On November 3, 2026, Issue 2A would add a full cent that also applies to groceries, while rail Issue 7A and West Metro Fire Issue 7C would exempt them.
Most Colorado shoppers pay little or no sales tax on groceries, because the state exempts food for home consumption. Wheat Ridge never opted out of taxing it. That puts the city in a small group locally, alongside Arvada, while neighbors including Lakewood, Golden, Edgewater and Denver do not tax groceries.
This fall the question has a second layer. Several measures on Wheat Ridge ballots would raise the sales tax rate, and they treat groceries differently. One would raise the grocery rate and the general rate together. Two would raise only the general rate.
Jason Sirois, a Realtor with FORM at Compass Denver and a Wheat Ridge resident, lays out what Wheat Ridge charges today, which measures would change it, and how the totals compare. This post explains the measures. It does not take a position on how to vote. Our earlier post on the Wheat Ridge 1-cent sales tax and what it would pay for covers the city’s project list in more detail.
What Wheat Ridge charges on groceries today
The Neighborhood Gazette reported on October 1, 2026 that Wheat Ridge has always collected its 3.5% city sales tax on groceries. A city spokesperson told the paper the city “just never opted out,” and that the revenue goes to the general fund. The city does not break out how much of its sales tax comes from groceries.
The other taxing entities treat food differently. Colorado’s DR 1002 sales and use tax rate publication (January 2026) lists the state, RTD and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District as exempting food for home consumption, while Jefferson County’s 0.5% tax lists no exemptions. Put together:
| Taxing entity | General rate | Applies to groceries? |
|---|---|---|
| State of Colorado | 2.9% | No |
| Jefferson County | 0.5% | Yes |
| City of Wheat Ridge | 3.5% | Yes |
| RTD | 1.0% | No |
| Scientific and Cultural Facilities District | 0.1% | No |
| Total | 8.0% | 4.0% on groceries |
The 8.0% combined rate is the one the Gazette reported. The 4.0% grocery figure is the city and county rates added together, based on the state publication’s exemption listings. Restaurant meals and prepared food fall outside the food-for-home-consumption exemption and are taxed at the full combined rate.
How Wheat Ridge compares with nearby cities
According to the Gazette’s survey of area cities:
- Lakewood stopped taxing groceries after voters repealed its grocery tax in 2008, effective January 1, 2009.
- Arvada taxes food, including groceries, at its 3.46% city rate and runs an annual sales tax rebate program.
- Golden, Edgewater, Denver, Mountain View and Littleton do not tax groceries, though most tax restaurant and prepared food.
For Wheat Ridge addresses that sit next to Lakewood or Arvada, that means the same grocery run can carry a different tax depending on which side of the city line the store sits on.
Which November 2026 measures would raise sales tax in Wheat Ridge
Jefferson County’s On the Ballot page lists the local questions. Three would change the sales tax rate at some or all Wheat Ridge stores:
| Measure | Rate | Applies to groceries? | First full-year revenue in the ballot title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Ridge Issue 2A (city sales and use tax) | 1.0% | Yes | Up to $11.7 million |
| Issue 7A (Front Range Passenger Rail District) | 0.333% | No | $295 million districtwide |
| Issue 7C (West Metro Fire Protection District) | 0.75% | No | Up to $36.3 million in 2027 |
Sources: the county’s 2026 TABOR notice for 2A and 7C, and CPR News for 7A, which exempts groceries, gas, residential utilities, prescription drugs and medical supplies. The Gazette reported that 2A would apply to grocery food. The 7C ballot title exempts groceries, gas and medicine.
Two caveats. First, West Metro Fire serves most of Wheat Ridge but not every address, so 7C does not appear on every Wheat Ridge ballot. Second, sources disagree on whether Wheat Ridge is inside the rail district: Complete Colorado’s October 12 analysis lists Wheat Ridge among cities with 7A on the ballot, while CPR’s list of district municipalities does not include it, and several counties have reported ballots that included 7A by mistake. Check your own ballot, and the Jefferson County Clerk for questions.
What the totals would look like
The table below adds the rates for a Wheat Ridge store inside West Metro Fire, assuming each combination passes. It is arithmetic on the published rates, not a forecast of any outcome.
| Scenario | General merchandise | Groceries |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 8.0% | 4.0% |
| 2A only | 9.0% | 5.0% |
| 2A and 7C | 9.75% | 5.0% |
| 2A, 7A and 7C (if 7A applies) | 10.083% | 5.0% |
The 10.083% figure matches Complete Colorado’s calculation for Wheat Ridge. Under every combination, only 2A changes the grocery rate. Complete Colorado reported that 2A would start January 1, 2027, and Axios Denver reported that the 7A rail tax would start in July 2027.
What this means for Wheat Ridge homeowners
Sales tax does not show up on a property tax bill, so none of these measures changes the taxes listed on a Wheat Ridge home. They change the cost of shopping in the city, and they shape the city budget that pays for parks, streets and facilities. Wheat Ridge leans on sales tax more than many neighbors, and the 2A project list includes the Anderson Park pool replacement and new city facilities.
The school measures on the same ballot, Jeffco Public Schools issues 5A and 5B, are property taxes rather than sales taxes and do apply to Wheat Ridge homes. For a neighborhood-level look at homes and prices, the Wheat Ridge community page is a good place to start, and Jason Sirois and the FORM Team at Compass Denver are glad to help.
Ballots are due at a drop box or voting center by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wheat Ridge charge sales tax on groceries?
Yes. Wheat Ridge applies its 3.5% city sales tax to groceries, and Jefferson County’s 0.5% also applies, for about 4.0% total. The state, RTD and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District exempt food for home consumption.
What is the total sales tax rate in Wheat Ridge?
The combined general rate is 8.0%: 2.9% state, 0.5% Jefferson County, 3.5% Wheat Ridge, 1.0% RTD and 0.1% Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.
Would Wheat Ridge Issue 2A tax groceries?
Yes. The Neighborhood Gazette reported that the proposed one-cent increase would apply to grocery food, which would bring the grocery rate to about 5.0% if it passes.
Does Lakewood tax groceries?
No. Lakewood voters repealed the city’s grocery tax in 2008, and it ended January 1, 2009.
Do the rail tax 7A and the West Metro Fire tax 7C apply to groceries?
No. Both exempt groceries. 7A also exempts gas, residential utilities, prescription drugs and medical supplies, and 7C exempts gas and medicine.
What would the Wheat Ridge sales tax be if every measure passes?
About 10.083% on general purchases at a store inside West Metro Fire and the rail district, and about 5.0% on groceries.
This article is for general information only and reflects published rates, ballot titles and news reports as of October 2026. It is not tax, legal or voting advice. Rates depend on a store’s exact location and taxing districts; confirm with the City of Wheat Ridge Sales Tax Division and your own sample ballot.
