what states are raising minimum wage
Several dozen states are raising the minimum wage between now and 2026, through either automatic inflation adjustments or scheduled step increases, with at least 23 states already publicly slated for hikes in 2026 alone. Many of these increases are part of longer-term plans to reach or surpass a $15 statewide minimum over the next few years.
Key states raising minimum wage
States with confirmed minimum wage increases already scheduled into 2025–2026 include:
- Alaska – step increases through 2027, with a path to $15 and inflation indexing afterward.
- Arizona – additional increases tied to cost of living.
- California – annual increases plus higher sectoral floors (for example, health care workers see $18–$23 ranges in 2025).
- Colorado – regular adjustments above the federal minimum.
- Connecticut – continuing a multi-year schedule beyond its recent hike.
- Florida – ongoing step increases voters approved to reach $15, with more changes later in 2025.
- Hawaii – skipped 2025 but resumes increases again in 2026 under its multi-year law.
- Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Vermont – annual inflation or scheduled increases.
- Missouri, Nebraska – voter-approved paths to $15 with active step raises.
- New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island – ongoing raises and/or indexing, including higher floors for specific sectors like long‑term care.
- Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C. – statutory increases and/or CPI-based adjustments, with Oregon and D.C. highlighted for mid‑year 2025 changes.
In addition, multiple other states have automatic cost‑of‑living adjustments that push their minimum wage up each January or July, even if they are not yet on a path to $15.
How many places are raising pay?
- By the end of 2025, a record 88 jurisdictions (23 states plus 65 cities and counties) will have raised their minimum wage at least once during the year.
- Mid‑2025 alone features increases in two states (Alaska and Oregon) , the District of Columbia , and several large cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, and Minnesota.
- Separate analysis finds that more than 23 states already have further minimum wage hikes announced for 2026.
Many large cities continue to set higher local floors than their state minimums, so workers in places like Chicago, Seattle-area suburbs, and other metros may see larger jumps than the statewide numbers suggest.
States not raising minimum wage in 2025
Despite this broad trend, a handful of states with minimum wages above $7.25 are not expected to raise them in 2025, including Arkansas, Hawaii (for 2025 only), Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, and West Virginia. Several others still default to the unchanged federal $7.25 minimum because they have no higher state standard.
Quick HTML table of key raising states (2025–2026)
| State | Has scheduled 2025–2026 increase? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Yes | Step increases to \$15 by 2027, then CPI indexing. | [7][1]
| Arizona | Yes | Ongoing cost-of-living adjustments. | [1][5]
| California | Yes | Annual statewide increases, higher minimums in many cities and for health care workers. | [1]
| Colorado | Yes | State minimum above federal with scheduled hikes. | [5]
| Connecticut | Yes | Continuing multi-year phase-in above \$15. | [5][1]
| Florida | Yes | Voter-approved path to \$15, more changes in late 2025 and 2026. | [3][5]
| Hawaii | Yes (2026) | No change in 2025, raises resume 2026 under existing law. | [1][5]
| Maine | Yes | Inflation-linked adjustments. | [5][1]
| Michigan | Yes | Regular increases above federal minimum. | [5]
| Minnesota | Yes | Inflation-adjusted raises; subminimum wages recently eliminated. | [3][1]
| Missouri | Yes | Voter- approved path to \$15 with step increases. | [1][5]
| Montana | Yes | Indexed above federal level. | [5]
| Nebraska | Yes | Voter-approved increases toward \$15. | [1][5]
| New Jersey | Yes | Step and inflation-linked increases; higher floors for some sectors. | [1][5]
| New York | Yes | Regional and sector-specific minimums with scheduled raises. | [5][1]
| Ohio | Yes | Annual inflation-based adjustments. | [5]
| Oregon | Yes | Mid‑2025 increase and further adjustments tied to region and inflation. | [9][3]
| Rhode Island | Yes | Statutory path above \$15. | [1][5]
| South Dakota | Yes | Inflation-indexed minimum. | [5]
| Vermont | Yes | Cost-of-living adjustments. | [5]
| Virginia | Yes | Multi-step scheduled increases. | [5]
| Washington | Yes | Among the highest state minimum wages, with CPI indexing. | [5]
| Washington, D.C. | Yes | Mid‑2025 increases and continued indexing for regular and tipped workers. | [9][3]