Minimum Wage Will Increase in Record-High 47 States, Cities, and Counties This January

On January 1, 2020 (December 31, 2019 in New York), the minimum wage will increase in 21 states and 26 cities and counties. In 17 of those jurisdictions, the minimum wage will reach or surpass $15 per hour. Later in 2020, four more states and 23 additional localities will also raise their minimum wages—15 of them to $15 or more. This is the greatest number of states and localities ever to raise their wage floors, both in January and for the year as a whole. More and more jurisdictions have been raising their minimum wages since the Fight for $15 movement began in November 2012.

In total, 24 states and 48 cities and counties will raise their minimum wages sometime in 2020. (Illinois and Saint Paul, MN will increase their minimum wages twice in 2020 but are counted only once in the year’s grand total.)

These increases will put much-needed money into the hands of the lowest-paid workers, many of whom struggle with high and ever-increasing costs of living. Below is a summary of what to expect in 2020:

• Minimum wage will increase in 21 states and 26 cities and counties on or around New Year’s Day, for a total of 47 jurisdictions. (See Table 2.)

  • Among the 21 states and 26 cities and counties raising their minimum wages on or around January 1, 2020 are Illinois and Saint Paul, MN, which will raise their wage floors twice—in January and July.
  • In 17 cities and counties, the minimum wage will reach or exceed $15 per hour—including Petaluma, CA and Seattle, WA, which will have lower minimum wage rates for small employers; and New York City, which will require a $15 minimum wage for employers of any size and in any industry, as part of statewide minimum wage increases.
  • In 7 states, the minimum wage will increase due to Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based cost-of-living adjustments (inflation).
  • In 17 cities and counties, the wage floor will also be adjusted for inflation—including Redwood and San Mateo, CA, which will add CPI increases to the last step of the minimum wage increases; and Seattle, WA, which will continue to phase in a $15 minimum wage for small employers who provide medical benefits, while implementing cost-of-living adjustments for all other employers.

• Later in 2020, 4 states and 23 cities and counties will follow with additional minimum wage increases, for a total of 27 jurisdictions. (See Table 3).

  • Among the 4 states and 23 cities and counties raising their minimum wages later in 2020 are Illinois and Saint Paul, MN, which will raise their wage floors twice—in January and July.
  • In 15 cities and counties, the minimum wage will reach or exceed $15 per hour—including Berkeley, Emeryville, Milpitas, and San Francisco, CA, which have already reached or surpassed a $15 minimum wage and are expected to raise wages further; and Fremont, the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Malibu, Novato, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Santa Rosa, CA, which will have lower minimum wages for small employers.
  • In 9 cities and counties, the minimum wage will increase due to cost-of-living adjustments—including Santa Monica, CA, which will continue to phase in a $15 minimum wage for large and small employers, while implementing inflation adjustments for the hotel industry; and Cook County, IL, which will continue to phase in a $13 minimum wage, while implementing inflation adjustments to its tipped wage.