Crossposted from King County Local

On Jan. 1, 2026, the minimum wage will increase in unincorporated King County. The minimum wage is the lowest hourly wage an organization can pay an employee. It will increase from $20.29 an hour to $20.82 an hour, with exceptions for smaller businesses. The increase impacts employees and employers.

Unincorporated King County is a wide and diverse area with a variety of workers and employers. To address this, the King County Council proposed a phase-in period for smaller employers based on the number of employees and the gross revenue to get into compliance. Read more.