Colorado

Living wage in Denver, Colorado

Most of Denver is in Denver County, where a full-time job needs to pay at least $60.32 an hour before taxes to take home four times the typical studio rent.

Pay needed, before taxes$60.32/hrDenver County standard
At Denver's middle rent$58.80/hrstudio rent $1,740 a month
Check a job's pay hereAll the numbers for Denver County

Across the 50 ZIP codes in Denver with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $1,480 to $2,470 a month. At the middle rent, $1,740, a full-time job would need to pay $58.80 an hour before taxes.

Parts of Denver are also in Jefferson County, Adams County, Arapahoe County.

ZIP codes in Denver

What the standard would be at each ZIP code's own studio rent. The calculator and the official standard use the county figure.

ZIPCountyStudio rentPay needed
80201Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80202Denver County$2,470/mo$87.39/hr
80203Denver County$2,000/mo$68.88/hr
80204Denver County$1,820/mo$61.85/hr
80205Denver County$1,910/mo$65.34/hr
80206Denver County$1,880/mo$64.16/hr
80207Denver County$1,780/mo$60.32/hr
80209Denver County$1,960/mo$67.31/hr
80210Denver County$1,950/mo$66.92/hr
80211Denver County$2,160/mo$75.18/hr
80212Denver County$1,770/mo$59.94/hr
80214Jefferson County$1,530/mo$50.78/hr
80215Jefferson County$1,630/mo$54.60/hr
80216Denver County$1,850/mo$62.99/hr
80217Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80218Denver County$1,640/mo$54.98/hr
80219Denver County$1,480/mo$48.88/hr
80220Denver County$1,520/mo$50.40/hr
80221Adams County$1,610/mo$53.84/hr
80222Denver County$1,690/mo$56.89/hr
80223Denver County$1,710/mo$57.65/hr
80224Denver County$1,600/mo$53.46/hr
80225Jefferson County$1,730/mo$58.41/hr
80226Jefferson County$1,560/mo$51.93/hr
80227Jefferson County$1,710/mo$57.65/hr
80228Jefferson County$1,860/mo$63.38/hr
80229Adams County$1,690/mo$56.89/hr
80230Denver County$2,000/mo$68.88/hr
80231Denver County$1,750/mo$59.18/hr
80232Jefferson County$1,610/mo$53.84/hr
80233Adams County$1,820/mo$61.85/hr
80234Adams County$1,700/mo$57.27/hr
80235Jefferson County$1,650/mo$55.36/hr
80236Denver County$1,660/mo$55.74/hr
80237Denver County$1,950/mo$66.92/hr
80238Denver County$2,000/mo$68.88/hr
80239Denver County$1,860/mo$63.38/hr
80246Denver County$1,780/mo$60.32/hr
80247Arapahoe County$1,680/mo$56.51/hr
80248Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80249Denver County$2,050/mo$70.85/hr
80250Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80260Adams County$1,490/mo$49.26/hr
80264Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80265Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80266Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80290Denver County$2,200/mo$76.76/hr
80293Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80294Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr
80299Denver County$1,740/mo$58.80/hr

Questions

How much do you need to make to live in Denver, Colorado?

Under the Four Times Rent standard, a full-time job in Denver needs to pay at least $60.32 an hour before taxes, about $125,470 a year. That is the figure for Denver County, where the typical studio rent is $1,780 a month.

Does it vary by neighborhood?

Yes. Across the 50 ZIP codes in Denver with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $1,480 to $2,470 a month. At the middle rent of $1,740, the pay needed would be $58.80 an hour.

How does that compare with the minimum wage?

The minimum wage in Denver County is $15.16 an hour. The Four Times Rent standard there is 4.0 times that.

The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal and state income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent? · Method and data downloads