- The King County (unincorporated areas) minimum wage is $20.82 an hour (employers with 500 or more employees), effective .
- That is $3.69 above the Washington state rate of $17.13 and $13.57 above the federal $7.25.
- 4 tiers apply: employers with 500 or more employees $20.82; employers with 16-499 employees (any revenue) $19.82; employers with 15 or fewer employees and $2M+ annual gross revenue $19.82; employers with 15 or fewer employees and under $2M annual gross revenue $18.32.
- The next change is : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
- Coverage: Work performed in unincorporated King County only (not inside any city); employee count = 12-month average worldwide, revenue = total worldwide.
Rates and tiers
| Tier | Rate | Since |
|---|---|---|
| employers with 500 or more employees | $20.82 | |
| employers with 16-499 employees (any revenue) | $19.82 | |
| employers with 15 or fewer employees and $2M+ annual gross revenue | $19.82 | |
| employers with 15 or fewer employees and under $2M annual gross revenue | $18.32 |
Indexing
Yes
CPI (county page says adjusted every January 1; index series not stated on page) adjusts 01-01 announced King County Department of Local Services
Tipped
Same as minimum
No tip credit: Washington law (RCW 49.46.020(3), restated on the L&I page) bars counting tips or service charges toward the minimum wage; local ordinances repeat this.
Ordinance
King County Ordinance 19762 (Council approval 2024-05-14) as cited on the county page; codified in King County Code
Scheduled increases
January 1, 20271 jurisdiction
CountyTBA
King County (unincorporated areas), WAall tiers · indexed-unannounced · Rate adjusted every Jan 1; smaller-employer tiers phase up toward the base rate under the ordinance (schedule not on page).
TBAindexed, amount to be announced
All four 2026 tiers match the WA L&I local-rates page exactly.
Common questions
What is the King County (unincorporated areas) minimum wage?
$20.82 an hour for employers with 500 or more employees, effective January 1, 2026.
Is the King County (unincorporated areas) minimum wage higher than the Washington state minimum wage?
Yes, by $3.69: $20.82 versus $17.13.
When does the King County (unincorporated areas) minimum wage change next?
On January 1, 2027, by an indexed amount to be announced.
Sources
- https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/local-services/governance-leadership/local-government-for-unincorporated-king-county/minimum-wage official
- https://lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/wages/minimum-wage/local-minimum-wage-rates official
- https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/
Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.92.