Unincorporated King
Unincorporated King County Economic Alliance
The Unincorporated King County Alliance is a network of economic development professionals and community partners collaborating to support the region’s business resiliency. The Greater Federal Way Chamber is one of 63 organizations working to create connection to resources for sustainable economic growth in our communities.
The Alliance is for any small business entity under 15 employees or individual interested in seeing the economic and business activities in King County’s unincorporated areas thrive. Specific resources and technical expertise are geared toward disproportionately impacted businesses or individuals living or doing business in unincorporated areas.
To see if your business is located in the unincorporated King County footprint, click HERE
2025 Unincorporated King County Minimum Wage
Get ready – the minimum wage is increasing.
The lowest hourly wage for work done in unincorporated King County will go up to $20.29 an hour on January 1.
There are exceptions for smaller businesses (see image to right for more details).
The new minimum wage applies only to the unincorporated areas of King County, or those that are not inside a city. Affected areas include Skyway, White Center, the Snoqualmie Valley, Greater Maple Valley, the Enumclaw Plateau, and Vashon Island.
If you want to find out if your workplace or business is in unincorporated King County, visit kingcounty.gov/unincorporated-map.
Other cities in King County, including Burien, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle, and Tukwila, also have adopted a minimum wage that is higher than the Washington State rate.
King County’s wage increase is designed to help working families in unincorporated King County meet the costs of living. The new wage also will make the hourly rate similar to those in nearby cities. For example, in 2024 the minimum wage in Skyway was $16.28, while the rate in neighboring Tukwila was $20.29.
The minimum wage in unincorporated King County will increase on January 1 each year to reflect inflation. The exceptions for smaller employers will be phased out over the coming years until all employers are paying the same minimum wage. To learn more, visit kingcounty.gov/wage, email questions to AskLocalServices@kingcounty.gov or call 206-477-3800.
King County Local Services: Your Un-City Hall
If you live or do business in King County and outside city limits, King County Local Services is your local government. The county maintains county roads and bridges, issues permits, manages land use planning, and provides many other services to unincorporated areas which are grouped into seven Community Service Areas.
Community Service Areas offer expanded ways for King County to engage with businesses and residents who live outside city boundaries. The Greater Federal Way region is in the West King County areas which includes urban unincorporated areas of King County, including East Federal Way, North Highline, West Hill, Fairwood, and East Renton. These communities represent potential annexation areas to neighboring cities.
Watch King County Council Meetings
You can watch King County Council meetings via livestream on the Council's website or on KCTV channel 22. The Council takes general public comment on the 4th Tuesday of every month. Learn more about testifying before King County Council HERE
Regional Footprint: East Federal Way and Unincorporated King
Greater Federal Way means we have a regional footprint that includes unincorporated King County as well as East Federal Way. In addition to small business assistance offered by King County Local Services, the Federal Way Chamber provides economic development data and programming for businesses in our regional footprint. The Chamber's online Calendar includes programming for members and non-members alike!