Minimum wage in Unincorporated Boulder County, Colorado
Unincorporated Boulder County sets its own minimum wage under its Boulder County Local Minimum Wage Ordinance. The general rate is $17.99 an hour, in effect since ; that is $2.83 above the Colorado rate of $15.16. The next scheduled change the county states is $19.53 on January 1, 2027.
Read from Boulder County: Minimum Wage to Rise to $25/Hour by 2030 in Unincorporated Boulder County on (page SHA-256 fca60cf1c010…). Every figure on this page was found on that page at that time.
Current rates
| Rate per hour | Applies to | In effect since |
|---|---|---|
| $17.99 | All covered employers |
Scheduled changes
| Effective | New rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| $19.53 | All covered employers |
How the rate is adjusted: Scheduled 8.58% steps each January 1 to $25.00 in 2030, then adjusted by the CPI from 2031.
Tipped employees
The county's page states no separate tipped rate. Colorado's state tipped rule (DOL): cash wage $12.14.
What the page also states
- Applies in unincorporated Boulder County only; cities in the county set their own rates or follow the state.
Against the state and federal rates
| Law | Rate |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Boulder County (county ordinance) | $17.99 |
| Colorado (state law) | $15.16 |
| Federal (FLSA) | $7.25 |
Where federal, state and local laws all cover an employer, the highest applicable rate must be paid. Whether a particular job is covered by this ordinance (most apply to hours worked inside the county limits, with a minimum number of hours a week) depends on facts this site does not assess. This page describes published rates and is not legal advice; see FastGuide for how to raise an underpayment.
Related
- Other local rates in Colorado: Boulder, Denver.
- All city and county minimum wages and the Colorado minimum wage.
- Colorado wage profile: what occupations actually pay, from BLS data.
- Take-home pay calculator on FastCalc for what $17.99 an hour leaves after withholding; this site computes nothing.