where in the US is the minimum wage binding askeconomics

In the U.S., the minimum wage is binding anywhere the legal minimum exceeds the wage a worker would otherwise earn. At the federal level, that floor is $7.25 per hour for covered nonexempt workers, and states can set higher minimums; when state and federal rules both apply, the worker gets the higher rate.

Where it binds most clearly

It is binding in:

• States with a minimum wage above $7.25. Employers must pay at least the state rate there.

• States with a minimum wage equal to $7.25. The federal floor still binds, but the state law does not raise it further.

• Places with local minimum wages above the state rate. In practice, cities and counties can make it bind even more strongly, though that depends on local law.

Where it is less likely to bind

It is less likely to bind in places where the legal minimum is at or below market wages for most workers. The Department of Labor notes that the remaining states with no established minimum wage or a minimum below the federal level are still subject to the federal $7.25 floor for covered employees.

Big picture

As of the current federal table, 30 states plus D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have minimum wages above the federal minimum, while 13 states plus the Northern Mariana Islands match it. The Department of Labor also notes that the District of Columbia has the highest minimum wage at $17.50/hour.

Simple economics answer

So, from an economics standpoint, the minimum wage is binding in the parts of the U.S. where it is set above the wage that would otherwise clear the labor market. In everyday terms, that usually means higher-wage states and major cities, not the lowest-wage areas where the market wage already sits above the legal floor.

TL;DR: The minimum wage binds wherever the legal floor is above the market wage, and in the U.S. that is most clearly true in states and cities with minimum wages above the federal $7.25 standard.