Denver’s minimum wage will go up another 55 cents, nearing $20 per hour

Great news for Denver workers: starting in 2027, you’ll be making an extra 55 cents an hour. That’s almost enough to cover the sales tax on a single Coors Light at Empower Field at Mile High. Progress.

The city announced Wednesday that Denver’s minimum wage will rise to $19.84 per hour, up from the current $19.29, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The increase, tied to changes in the consumer price index, keeps Denver well above both the Colorado state minimum and the federal minimum wage — which, for anyone keeping score, has been $7.25 since 2009 and shows no signs of having a pulse. For tipped food and beverage workers, the rate lands at $16.82 after a static $3.02 tip credit.

“Denver workers deserve to be paid their worth,” Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement — a sentiment that will resonate with anyone who has recently tried to pay rent, buy groceries or simply exist within the Denver city limits without taking out a second mortgage.

For context, Denver’s $19.84 will be higher than California’s newly announced 2027 statewide minimum of $17.40, and nearly triple the federal floor. It’s a nice flex for a city that also charges $22 for airport parking, $18 for a cocktail on Larimer Square and requires you to sell a kidney to afford a one-bedroom in RiNo.

So mark your calendars, Denver. Come January, you’ll have an extra $22 in your weekly paycheck before taxes.