Minimum wage will rise in Colorado and Denver in 2026
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Colorado is one of 19 states where workers are lined up for a raise when minimum wage increases take effect on New Year's Day.
Why it matters: The bump lifts workers' pay across the income ladder but ramps up pressure on employers already squeezed by high costs.
By the numbers: On Jan. 1, Colorado's minimum wage will rise 2.4% — from $14.81 to $15.16. For tipped workers, hourly wages will increase from $11.79 to $12.14.
- That will give Colorado the eighth-highest hourly minimum among states adjusting pay next year.
The latest: On Tuesday, Edgewater became Colorado's first city to use a new state law that lets local governments raise their minimum wage without simultaneously increasing the tipped minimum, the Denver Post reports.
- Under the measure, Edgewater's hourly minimum wage will climb from $16.52 to $18.17 in the new year, while the tipped minimum wage will stay at $13.50 through 2026.
Zoom in: Denver's minimum wage will also jump, from $18.81 to $19.29 — and from $15.79 to $16.27 for tipped workers.
- Despite reports hinting at possible changes, Mayor Mike Johnston's spokesperson Jon Ewing told Axios Denver there's "nothing in the works" to revisit the city's tipped-wage credit — a top concern for some restaurant owners.
- Ewing said the mayor's office will "continue working toward addressing the challenges facing restaurants in the new year," but offered no specifics.
The big picture: For the first time, more workers in 2026 will live in states with a minimum wage of $15 an hour or higher than those still tied to the federal $7.25 floor, according to the progressive Economic Policy Institute.