States with the Highest & Lowest Minimum Wages in 2024
While the nationwide Federal minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour, many state and municipal governments have introduced higher minimum wages that apply to workers within their jurisdiction. This page lists the states, cities, and counties with the highest minimum wage rates in the United States, as well as those that adopt the lowest permitted minimum wage rate (the Federal minimum wage).
Highest Minimum Wage Rates
Highest State Minimum Wage Rates
The below listed states have the highest statewide minimum wages in the United States. While these used to be the highest minimum wages in the country, several municipalities have recently enacted local minimum wages of more than even the highest state minimum wage rates.
| State Name | Minimum Wage Rate |
|---|---|
| California | $16.00 per hour |
| Washington | $16.28 per hour |
| District of Columbia | $17.00 per hour |
Highest Local Minimum Wage Rates
In recent years, more and more cities and counties have established their own minimum wage rates, which take precedence over both the Federal and state minimum wages. Through local legislation, some cities have established themselves as the jurisdictions with the highest minimum wage in the United States. The following is a list of some of the municipalities with the highest local minimum wage rates.
Lowest Minimum Wage Rates
The lowest minimum wage a state can have is the Federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour. The following 21 states either adopt the Federal minimum wage, or have no state minimum wage law:
| State Name | Minimum Wage Rate |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 per hour |
| Georgia | $7.25 per hour |
| Idaho | $7.25 per hour |
| Indiana | $7.25 per hour |
| Iowa | $7.25 per hour |
| Kansas | $7.25 per hour |
| Kentucky | $7.25 per hour |
| Louisiana | $7.25 per hour |
| Mississippi | $7.25 per hour |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 per hour |
| North Carolina | $7.25 per hour |
| North Dakota | $7.25 per hour |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 per hour |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 per hour |
| South Carolina | $7.25 per hour |
| Tennessee | $7.25 per hour |
| Texas | $7.25 per hour |
| Utah | $7.25 per hour |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 per hour |
| Wyoming | $7.25 per hour |
| Federal | $7.25 per hour |
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