Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid

Denver County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 64 counties in 2017, at $36.63 billion. Hinsdale County had the lowest, at $9.8 million. The median was $242.23 million and the figure for Colorado was $160.94 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest36,629.6Denver County
Median242.264 counties
Colorado160,939.7History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 11,823.1 USD millionAlamosa County: 333.7 USD millionArapahoe County: 22,851.4 USD millionArchuleta County: 157 USD millionBaca County: 43.4 USD millionBent County: 44.3 USD millionBoulder County: 12,492.2 USD millionBroomfield County: 3,814.9 USD millionChaffee County: 308.7 USD millionCheyenne County: 34.3 USD millionClear Creek County: 144.4 USD millionConejos County: 51.5 USD millionCostilla County: 30.3 USD millionCrowley County: 48 USD millionCuster County: 30.5 USD millionDelta County: 319.5 USD millionDenver County: 36,629.6 USD millionDolores County: 21.1 USD millionDouglas County: 8,226.2 USD millionEagle County: 1,618.7 USD millionElbert County: 166.7 USD millionEl Paso County: 16,596.5 USD millionFremont County: 590.6 USD millionGarfield County: 1,329.3 USD millionGilpin County: 248.5 USD millionGrand County: 293 USD millionGunnison County: 340.9 USD millionHinsdale County: 9.8 USD millionHuerfano County: 64.7 USD millionJackson County: 21.7 USD millionJefferson County: 14,110.2 USD millionKiowa County: 24.5 USD millionKit Carson County: 112 USD millionLake County: 94.8 USD millionLa Plata County: 1,286.3 USD millionLarimer County: 8,569.2 USD millionLas Animas County: 206.3 USD millionLincoln County: 94.5 USD millionLogan County: 349.7 USD millionMesa County: 2,845.5 USD millionMineral County: 18.7 USD millionMoffat County: 246.2 USD millionMontezuma County: 357 USD millionMontrose County: 626.2 USD millionMorgan County: 554.3 USD millionOtero County: 251.5 USD millionOuray County: 68.5 USD millionPark County: 105.3 USD millionPhillips County: 68.8 USD millionPitkin County: 914.5 USD millionProwers County: 166.4 USD millionPueblo County: 2,779.3 USD millionRio Blanco County: 145.1 USD millionRio Grande County: 164.2 USD millionRoutt County: 702.2 USD millionSaguache County: 63.8 USD millionSan Juan County: 10.1 USD millionSan Miguel County: 238.3 USD millionSedgwick County: 29.8 USD millionSummit County: 934.4 USD millionTeller County: 315 USD millionWashington County: 49.9 USD millionWeld County: 5,578.8 USD millionYuma County: 174.3 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 400
  • 400 to 2,800
  • 2,800 and over
USD million, 2017. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Denver County: 36,629.6 USD millionDenver County36,629.6Arapahoe County: 22,851.4 USD millionArapahoe County22,851.4El Paso County: 16,596.5 USD millionEl Paso County16,596.5Jefferson County: 14,110.2 USD millionJefferson County14,110.2Boulder County: 12,492.2 USD millionBoulder County12,492.2Adams County: 11,823.1 USD millionAdams County11,823.1Larimer County: 8,569.2 USD millionLarimer County8,569.2Douglas County: 8,226.2 USD millionDouglas County8,226.2Weld County: 5,578.8 USD millionWeld County5,578.8Broomfield County: 3,814.9 USD millionBroomfield County3,814.9Mesa County: 2,845.5 USD millionMesa County2,845.5Pueblo County: 2,779.3 USD millionPueblo County2,779.3Eagle County: 1,618.7 USD millionEagle County1,618.7Garfield County: 1,329.3 USD millionGarfield County1,329.3La Plata County: 1,286.3 USD millionLa Plata County1,286.3Summit County: 934.4 USD millionSummit County934.4Pitkin County: 914.5 USD millionPitkin County914.5Routt County: 702.2 USD millionRoutt County702.2Montrose County: 626.2 USD millionMontrose County626.2Fremont County: 590.6 USD millionFremont County590.6Morgan County: 554.3 USD millionMorgan County554.3Montezuma County: 357 USD millionMontezuma County357Logan County: 349.7 USD millionLogan County349.7Gunnison County: 340.9 USD millionGunnison County340.9Alamosa County: 333.7 USD millionAlamosa County333.7Delta County: 319.5 USD millionDelta County319.5Teller County: 315 USD millionTeller County315Chaffee County: 308.7 USD millionChaffee County308.7Grand County: 293 USD millionGrand County293Otero County: 251.5 USD millionOtero County251.5Gilpin County: 248.5 USD millionGilpin County248.5Moffat County: 246.2 USD millionMoffat County246.2San Miguel County: 238.3 USD millionSan Miguel County238.3Las Animas County: 206.3 USD millionLas Animas County206.3Yuma County: 174.3 USD millionYuma County174.3Elbert County: 166.7 USD millionElbert County166.7Prowers County: 166.4 USD millionProwers County166.4Rio Grande County: 164.2 USD millionRio Grande County164.2Archuleta County: 157 USD millionArchuleta County157Rio Blanco County: 145.1 USD millionRio Blanco County145.1Denver County: 36,629.6 USD millionDenver County36,629.6Arapahoe County: 22,851.4 USD millionArapahoe County22,851.4El Paso County: 16,596.5 USD millionEl Paso County16,596.5Jefferson County: 14,110.2 USD millionJefferson County14,110.2Boulder County: 12,492.2 USD millionBoulder County12,492.2Adams County: 11,823.1 USD millionAdams County11,823.1Larimer County: 8,569.2 USD millionLarimer County8,569.2Douglas County: 8,226.2 USD millionDouglas County8,226.2Weld County: 5,578.8 USD millionWeld County5,578.8Broomfield County: 3,814.9 USD millionBroomfield County3,814.9Mesa County: 2,845.5 USD millionMesa County2,845.5Pueblo County: 2,779.3 USD millionPueblo County2,779.3Eagle County: 1,618.7 USD millionEagle County1,618.7Garfield County: 1,329.3 USD millionGarfield County1,329.3La Plata County: 1,286.3 USD millionLa Plata County1,286.3Summit County: 934.4 USD millionSummit County934.4Pitkin County: 914.5 USD millionPitkin County914.5Routt County: 702.2 USD millionRoutt County702.2Montrose County: 626.2 USD millionMontrose County626.2Fremont County: 590.6 USD millionFremont County590.6Morgan County: 554.3 USD millionMorgan County554.3Montezuma County: 357 USD millionMontezuma County357Logan County: 349.7 USD millionLogan County349.7Gunnison County: 340.9 USD millionGunnison County340.9Alamosa County: 333.7 USD millionAlamosa County333.7Delta County: 319.5 USD millionDelta County319.5Teller County: 315 USD millionTeller County315Chaffee County: 308.7 USD millionChaffee County308.7Grand County: 293 USD millionGrand County293Otero County: 251.5 USD millionOtero County251.5Gilpin County: 248.5 USD millionGilpin County248.5Moffat County: 246.2 USD millionMoffat County246.2San Miguel County: 238.3 USD millionSan Miguel County238.3Las Animas County: 206.3 USD millionLas Animas County206.3Yuma County: 174.3 USD millionYuma County174.3Elbert County: 166.7 USD millionElbert County166.7Prowers County: 166.4 USD millionProwers County166.4Rio Grande County: 164.2 USD millionRio Grande County164.2Archuleta County: 157 USD millionArchuleta County157Rio Blanco County: 145.1 USD millionRio Blanco County145.1
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
USD million
Change on 2016
1Denver County36,629.6+6%
2Arapahoe County22,851.4+5.5%
3El Paso County16,596.5+6.1%
4Jefferson County14,110.2+4.7%
5Boulder County12,492.2+6.5%
6Adams County11,823.1+7.2%
7Larimer County8,569.2+7.9%
8Douglas County8,226.2+9%
9Weld County5,578.8+11.6%
10Broomfield County3,814.9+19.5%
11Mesa County2,845.5+6.8%
12Pueblo County2,779.3+4.9%
13Eagle County1,618.7+5.4%
14Garfield County1,329.3+3.4%
15La Plata County1,286.3+0.9%
16Summit County934.4+5.6%
17Pitkin County914.5+2.3%
18Routt County702.2+1.4%
19Montrose County626.2+5%
20Fremont County590.6+3.9%
21Morgan County554.3+5.5%
22Montezuma County357+3.7%
23Logan County349.7+1.9%
24Gunnison County340.9+4.6%
25Alamosa County333.7+3.4%
26Delta County319.5+4.7%
27Teller County315+6.2%
28Chaffee County308.7+6.7%
29Grand County293+5.4%
30Otero County251.5+4.5%
31Gilpin County248.5+1.6%
32Moffat County246.2+4.7%
33San Miguel County238.3+3.7%
34Las Animas County206.3+2.7%
35Yuma County174.3+3.9%
36Elbert County166.7+5.8%
37Prowers County166.4+5.3%
38Rio Grande County164.2+4.9%
39Archuleta County157+4.5%
40Rio Blanco County145.1+1.9%
41Clear Creek County144.4+0.6%
42Kit Carson County112-3.3%
43Park County105.3+5%
44Lake County94.8+10.5%
45Lincoln County94.5+6.7%
46Phillips County68.8+3.4%
47Ouray County68.5+8.6%
48Huerfano County64.7+6%
49Saguache County63.8+3.6%
50Conejos County51.5+2.9%
51Washington County49.9-11.6%
52Crowley County48+1.7%
53Bent County44.3+4.5%
54Baca County43.4+3%
55Cheyenne County34.3+3.7%
56Custer County30.5-6.7%
57Costilla County30.3+10.9%
58Sedgwick County29.8+2.8%
59Kiowa County24.5+5.6%
60Jackson County21.7+11.5%
61Dolores County21.1+11.2%
62Mineral County18.7+3.4%
63San Juan County10.1+14.4%
64Hinsdale County9.8+7.4%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid, 2017. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/colorado-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/colorado-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/colorado-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_colorado_by_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/colorado-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Colorado by wages and salaries paid, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/colorado-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/colorado-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Denver County, with $36.63 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Hinsdale County, with $9.8 million in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Colorado: more rankings