33 Places in the U.S. Where the Minimum Wage Is Already $15 an Hour—or More
A decision this week by the Senate parliamentarian, its chief rule enforcer, makes it highly unlikely that an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 will remain in the final version of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion economic relief plan. But in 33 places in the U.S., minimum wage workers don't have to wait for Congress to act to earn $15 an hour—they're already at that benchmark, with another three locales joining them later this year.
Democrats have vowed to keep fighting to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at $7.25 an hour for more than a decade—either to keep the increase as part of the current bill or to introduce separate legislation to raise the bar later this year. In the meantime, though, a number of states and localities have taken matters into their own hands: Currently, 29 states have a minimum wage higher than that of the federal government, as do some 45 cities and counties.

Not one of those states, though, currently mandates a minimum wage of $15 an hour. The closest—California—pays $14 an hour. But some three dozen individual counties and cities (mostly in California) as well the federal district do have laws on the books mandating a $15-an-hour minimum wage this year—and at least nine other states and four cities have passed laws that will bring the minimum wage in those areas up to that benchmark over the next few years.
Here are all 33 places where minimum-wage workers earn at least $15 an hour in 2021, as well as three areas that will hit $15 later this year, plus the 13 states and cities that will join their ranks over the next few years.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13 to $15 on January 1, 2021
Alameda, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13.50 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Belmont, California
Minimum wage: $15.90
Most recent increase: $15 to $15.90 on January 1, 2021
Berkeley, California
Minimum wage: $16.07
Most recent increase:$15.59 to $16.07 on July 1, 2020
Cupertino, California
Minimum wage: $15.65
Most recent increase: $15.35 to $15.65 on January 1, 2021
El Cerrito, California
Minimum wage: $15.61
Most recent increase: $15.37 to $15.61 on January 1, 2021
Emeryville, California
Minimum wage: $16.84
Most recent increase: $16.30 to $16.84 on July 1, 2020
Fremont, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13.50 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Hayward, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13 to $15 on January 1, 2021
Los Altos, California
Minimum wage: $15.65
Most recent increase: $15.40 to $15.65 on January 1, 2021
Los Angeles, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14.25 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Los Angeles County, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14.25 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Malibu, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14.25 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Milpitas, California
Minimum wage: $15.40
Most recent increase: $15 to $15.40 on July 1, 2020
Mountain View, California
Minimum wage: $16.30
Most recent increase: $16.05 to $16.30 on January 1, 2021
Novato, California
Minimum wage: $15.24
Most recent increase: $15 to $15.24 on January 1, 2021
Palo Alto, California
Minimum wage: $15.65
Most recent increase: $15.40 to $15.65 on January 1, 2021
Pasadena, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14.25 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Petaluma, California
Minimum wage: $15.20
Most recent increase: $15.00 to $15.20 on January 1, 2021
Redwood City, California
Minimum wage: $15.62
Most recent increase: $15.38 to $15.62 on January 1, 2021
Richmond, California
Minimum wage: $15.21
Most recent increase: $15 to $15.21 on January 1, 2021
San Francisco, California
Minimum wage: $16.07
Most recent increase: $15.59 to $16.07 on July 1, 2020
San Jose, California
Minimum wage:$15.45
Most recent increase: $15.25 to $15.45 on January 1, 2021
San Leandro, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14 to $15 on July 1, 2020
San Mateo, California
Minimum wage: $15.62
Most recent increase: $15.38 to $15.62 on January 1, 2021
Santa Clara, California
Minimum wage: $15.65
Most recent increase: $15.40 to $15.65 on January 1, 2021
Santa Monica, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14.25 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Santa Rosa, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Sonoma, California
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13.50 to $15 on January 1, 2021
Sunnyvale, California
Minimum wage: $16.30
Most recent increase: $16.05 to $16.30 on January 1, 2021
New York City, New York
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $13 to $15 on December 31, 2018
Seattle, Washington
Minimum wage: $16.69
Most recent increase: $16.39 to $16.69 on January 1, 2021
Washington D.C.
Minimum wage: $15
Most recent increase: $14 to $15 on July 1, 2020
Places that will offer a $15-an-hour minimum wage later this year:
Chicago, Illinois
Current minimum wage: $14
New minimum wage: $15
Date of increase: July 1
Last increase: $13 to $14 on July 1, 2020
Montgomery County, Maryland
Current minimum wage: $14
New minimum wage: $15
Date of increase: July 1
Last increase: $13 to $14 on July 1, 2020
Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties, New York
Current minimum wage: $14
New minimum wage: $15
Date of increase: December 31
Last increase: $13 to $14 on December 31, 2020
Places that will increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour in future years:
California
Minimum wage: $14.00
Most recent increase: $13 to $14 on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases:
$15 on January 1, 2022
Connecticut
Minimum wage: $12
Most recent increase: $11 to $12 on September 1, 2020
Upcoming increases:
$13 on August 1, 2021
$14 on July 1, 2022
$15 on June 1, 2023
Florida
Minimum wage: $8.56
Most recent increase: $8.46 to $8.56 on January 1, 2020
Upcoming increases:
$10 on September 30, 2021
$11 on September 30, 2022
$12 on September 30, 2023
$13 on September 30, 2024
$14 on September 30, 2025
$15 onSeptember 30, 2026
Illinois
Minimum wage: $11
Most recent increase: $10 to $11 on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases:
$12 on January 1, 2022
$13 on January 1, 2023
$14 on January 1, 2024
$15 on January 1, 2025
Maryland
Minimum wage: $11.75
Most recent increase: $11 to $11.75 on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases:
$12.50 on January 1, 2022
$13.25 on January 1, 2023
$14 on January 1, 2024
$15 on January 1, 2025
Massachusetts
Minimum wage: $13.50
Most recent increase: $12.75 to $13.50 on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases:
$14.25 on January 1, 2022
$15.00 on January 1, 2023
New Jersey
Minimum wage: $12
Most recent increase: $11 to $12 on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases:
$13 on January 1, 2022
$14 on January 1, 2023
$15 on January 1, 2024
New York
Minimum wage: $12.50
Most recent increase: $11.80 to $12.50 on December 31, 2020
Upcoming increases: Annual indexing to keep pace with inflation until the minimum wage reaches but does not exceed $15 an hour
Virginia
Minimum wage: $7.25
Most recent increase: 2009
Upcoming increases
$9.50 on May 1, 2021
$11 on January 1, 2022
$12 on January 1, 2023
$13.50 on January 1, 2025
$15 on January 1, 2026
Denver, Colorado
Minimum wage: $14.77
Most recent increase: $12.85 to $14.77 on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases
$15.87 on January 1, 2022
Portland, Maine
Minimum wage: $12.15
Most recent increase: $12 to $12.15, on January 1, 2021
Upcoming increases
$13 on January 1, 2022
$14 on January 1, 2023
$15 on January 1, 2024
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minimum wage: $13.25
Most recent increase: $12.25 to $13.25 on July 1, 2020
Upcoming increases:
$14.25 on July 1, 2021
$15 on July 1, 2022
St. Paul, Minnesota
Minimum wage: $12.50
Most recent increase: $9.86 to $12.50 on January 1, 2020
Upcoming increases:
$15 on July 1, 2022