Prospects for raising the federal minimum wage, which has stood at $7.25 an hour since 2009, appear to have stalled out yet again, despite broad public support for the idea. In truth though, for the past several years most of the real action on minimum wages has been in states, counties, and cities, not on Capitol Hill.
The federal minimum wage is used in just 21 states, which collectively account for about 40% of all U.S. wage and salary workers. In the 29 other states and the District of Columbia, minimum wages are higher – ranging from $8.65 in Florida to $15 in D.C..
In eight of the states with higher-than-federal minimum wages, some cities and counties have adopted local ordinances that provide for even higher rates than their state’s minimum, accelerate schedules for future increases, or both. The highest local minimum wage in the country, $16.84, is in Emeryville, a suburb of San Francisco.
