It’s been more than 14 years since President George W. Bush signed into law the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, which incrementally raised the federal minimum hourly wage to $7.25 by the summer of 2009.
Since then, the government under both Democratic and Republican leaderships has avoided raising the national hourly wage floor — the longest period of time without an increase since a national minimum hourly wage was introduced in 1938. This despite the fact it takes about $9.35 in today’s dollars to match the spending power $7.25 had in 2009. (This is the number of poor full time workers the year you were born.)
But while the federal government has avoided increasing the national minimum hourly wage, many states and some high-cost cities have taken up the slack. Today, 30 states have wage floors that are higher than the federal standard, including 21 states that raised their minimum hourly wage rates on New Year’s Day, either through state legislative mandates or annual cost-of-living adjustments.
To find the 25 states that instituted, or that plan to institute, a minimum wage increase in 2022, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data compiled by human resources software company Paycor. We listed all 50 states along with their 2021 minimum wage and 2022 increases, if applicable. It is important to note that there are exceptions in some states regarding minimum wage increases related to several factors, including geography, the size of an employer, and additional benefits offered by employers.
We also considered additional data on 2020 unemployment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and median household income and poverty from the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
States like California, Connecticut, Arizona, and Florida now have significantly higher minimum hourly wages than the federal standard, but not all states are moving to pay workers above the federally mandated minimum. (These are the best paying large companies in America.)
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Wyoming, and Georgia either have no state minimum wages or have state minimum wages below the federal standard. For many workers in those states, their only protection is the federal mandate that requires employers in those states to adhere to the $7.25 hourly minimum standard.
Click here to see the states where minimum wage will go up this year
Alabama
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 5.9% (12th lowest)
> Median household income: $51,734 (5th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.5% (7th highest)
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Alaska
> 2021 minimum wage: $10.34 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 7.8% (19th highest)
> Median household income: $75,463 (12th highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.1% (13th lowest)
Arizona
> 2021 minimum wage: $12.15 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.65
> 2020 unemployment: 7.9% (17th highest)
> Median household income: $62,055 (23rd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.5% (13th highest)
Arkansas
> 2021 minimum wage: $11.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.1% (15th lowest)
> Median household income: $48,952 (3rd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.2% (5th highest)
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California
> 2021 minimum wage: $14.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.00
> 2020 unemployment: 10.1% (3rd highest)
> Median household income: $80,440 (5th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.8% (25th highest)
Colorado
> 2021 minimum wage: $12.32 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.24
> 2020 unemployment: 7.3% (25th highest)
> Median household income: $77,127 (9th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.3% (7th lowest)
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Connecticut
> 2021 minimum wage: $13.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.00
> 2020 unemployment: 7.9% (17th highest)
> Median household income: $78,833 (6th highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.0% (12th lowest)
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Delaware
> 2021 minimum wage: $9.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.25
> 2020 unemployment: 7.8% (19th highest)
> Median household income: $70,176 (16th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.3% (22nd lowest)
Florida
> 2021 minimum wage: $10.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.00
> 2020 unemployment: 7.7% (21st highest)
> Median household income: $59,227 (17th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 12.7% (19th highest)
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Georgia
> 2021 minimum wage: $5.15 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.5% (20th lowest)
> Median household income: $61,980 (22nd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.3% (14th highest)
Hawaii
> 2021 minimum wage: $10.10 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 11.6% (2nd highest)
> Median household income: $83,102 (4th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.3% (6th lowest)
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Idaho
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 5.4% (7th lowest)
> Median household income: $60,999 (20th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 11.2% (21st lowest)
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Illinois
> 2021 minimum wage: $11.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.00
> 2020 unemployment: 9.5% (7th highest)
> Median household income: $69,187 (17th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.5% (25th lowest)
Indiana
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 7.1% (24th lowest)
> Median household income: $57,603 (14th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 11.9% (24th highest)
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Iowa
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 5.3% (5th lowest)
> Median household income: $61,691 (21st lowest)
> Poverty rate: 11.2% (20th lowest)
Kansas
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 5.9% (12th lowest)
> Median household income: $62,087 (24th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (24th lowest)
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Kentucky
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.6% (21st lowest)
> Median household income: $52,295 (7th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.3% (4th highest)
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Louisiana
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 8.3% (13th highest)
> Median household income: $51,073 (4th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 19.0% (2nd highest)
Maine
> 2021 minimum wage: $12.15 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.60
> 2020 unemployment: 5.4% (7th lowest)
> Median household income: $58,924 (16th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 10.9% (19th lowest)
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Maryland
> 2021 minimum wage: $11.75 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.75
> 2020 unemployment: 6.8% (23rd lowest)
> Median household income: $86,738 (the highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.0% (4th lowest)
Massachusetts
> 2021 minimum wage: $13.50 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.75
> 2020 unemployment: 8.9% (10th highest)
> Median household income: $85,843 (2nd highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.4% (8th lowest)
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Michigan
> 2021 minimum wage: $9.65 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.22
> 2020 unemployment: 9.9% (5th highest)
> Median household income: $59,584 (19th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (17th highest)
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Minnesota
> 2021 minimum wage: $10.08 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.25
> 2020 unemployment: 6.2% (18th lowest)
> Median household income: $74,593 (13th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.0% (3rd lowest)
Mississippi
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 8.1% (15th highest)
> Median household income: $45,792 (the lowest)
> Poverty rate: 19.6% (the highest)
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Missouri
> 2021 minimum wage: $10.30 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.85
> 2020 unemployment: 6.1% (15th lowest)
> Median household income: $57,409 (13th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 12.9% (18th highest)
Montana
> 2021 minimum wage: $8.75 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.45
> 2020 unemployment: 5.9% (12th lowest)
> Median household income: $57,153 (11th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 12.6% (20th highest)
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Nebraska
> 2021 minimum wage: $9.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 4.2% (the lowest)
> Median household income: $63,229 (25th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.9% (10th lowest)
Nevada
> 2021 minimum wage: $8.75 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.75
> 2020 unemployment: 12.8% (the highest)
> Median household income: $63,276 (24th highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.5% (21st highest)
New Hampshire
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.7% (22nd lowest)
> Median household income: $77,933 (8th highest)
> Poverty rate: 7.3% (the lowest)
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New Jersey
> 2021 minimum wage: $12.00 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.00
> 2020 unemployment: 9.8% (6th highest)
> Median household income: $85,751 (3rd highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.2% (5th lowest)
New Mexico
> 2021 minimum wage: $10.50 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.00
> 2020 unemployment: 8.4% (11th highest)
> Median household income: $51,945 (6th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 18.2% (3rd highest)
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New York
> 2021 minimum wage: $12.50 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.70
> 2020 unemployment: 10.0% (4th highest)
> Median household income: $72,108 (14th highest)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (16th highest)
North Carolina
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 7.3% (25th highest)
> Median household income: $57,341 (12th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.6% (12th highest)
North Dakota
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 5.1% (4th lowest)
> Median household income: $64,577 (20th highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.6% (17th lowest)
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Ohio
> 2021 minimum wage: $8.80 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.50
> 2020 unemployment: 8.1% (15th highest)
> Median household income: $58,642 (15th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.1% (15th highest)
Oklahoma
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.1% (15th lowest)
> Median household income: $54,449 (8th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 15.2% (8th highest)
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Oregon
> 2021 minimum wage: $12.75 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.75
> 2020 unemployment: 7.6% (22nd highest)
> Median household income: $67,058 (18th highest)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (23rd lowest)
Pennsylvania
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 9.1% (9th highest)
> Median household income: $63,463 (23rd highest)
> Poverty rate: 12.0% (22nd highest)
Rhode Island
> 2021 minimum wage: $11.50 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.75
> 2020 unemployment: 9.4% (8th highest)
> Median household income: $71,169 (15th highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.8% (18th lowest)
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South Carolina
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.2% (18th lowest)
> Median household income: $56,227 (10th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.8% (10th highest)
South Dakota
> 2021 minimum wage: $9.45 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.50
> 2020 unemployment: 4.6% (2nd lowest)
> Median household income: $59,533 (18th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 11.9% (23rd highest)
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Tennessee
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 7.5% (24th highest)
> Median household income: $56,071 (9th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 13.9% (9th highest)
Texas
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 7.6% (22nd highest)
> Median household income: $64,034 (22nd highest)
> Poverty rate: 13.6% (11th highest)
Utah
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 4.7% (3rd lowest)
> Median household income: $75,780 (11th highest)
> Poverty rate: 8.9% (2nd lowest)
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Vermont
> 2021 minimum wage: $11.75 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.80
> 2020 unemployment: 5.6% (8th lowest)
> Median household income: $63,001 (25th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 10.2% (15th lowest)
Virginia
> 2021 minimum wage: $9.50 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $1.50
> 2020 unemployment: 6.2% (18th lowest)
> Median household income: $76,456 (10th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.9% (11th lowest)
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Washington
> 2021 minimum wage: $13.69 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: $0.80
> 2020 unemployment: 8.4% (11th highest)
> Median household income: $78,687 (7th highest)
> Poverty rate: 9.8% (9th lowest)
West Virginia
> 2021 minimum wage: $8.75 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 8.3% (13th highest)
> Median household income: $48,850 (2nd lowest)
> Poverty rate: 16.0% (6th highest)
Wisconsin
> 2021 minimum wage: $7.25 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 6.3% (19th lowest)
> Median household income: $64,168 (21st highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.4% (16th lowest)
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Wyoming
> 2021 minimum wage: $5.15 per hour
> 2022 minimum wage increase: None
> 2020 unemployment: 5.8% (9th lowest)
> Median household income: $65,003 (19th highest)
> Poverty rate: 10.1% (14th lowest)
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