which state has the lowest minimum wage
For 2025, Georgia and Wyoming are generally listed as the states with the lowest state minimum wage, at a nominal rate of 5.15 dollars per hour, but that figure only applies to a narrow group of employers not covered by federal law. For almost all workers in those states, the effective minimum wage is the federal minimum of 7.25 dollars per hour, which also applies in about twenty other states that have set no higher state-level minimum.
Quick Scoop
- Georgia and Wyoming have the lowest statutory state minimum wage on the books, at 5.15 dollars per hour.
- In practice, most employers in those states must follow the federal minimum wage of 7.25 dollars per hour under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Roughly twenty states, including Texas, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, effectively sit at that same 7.25-dollar floor because they either match or default to the federal rate instead of setting a higher state minimum.
Federal vs state wrinkle
- The ultra-low 5.15-dollar figures in Georgia and Wyoming mainly affect very small or exempt employers; they do not reflect what most minimum-wage workers actually earn.
- For practical “what will a typical minimum‑wage worker see on their paycheck?” purposes, the lowest real minimum wage in the U.S. is effectively the federal 7.25 dollars per hour, shared by a group of low‑wage states rather than just one.
Mini forum-style take
When people ask “which state has the lowest minimum wage,” the technical answer is “Georgia and Wyoming at 5.15 dollars,” but the everyday answer is “a whole cluster of states stuck at the 7.25‑dollar federal floor.”
Simple HTML table of key facts
| State | Statutory state minimum | Effective minimum for most workers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $5.15/hr | [1][3]$7.25/hr (federal) | [7][1]5.15 dollars only for certain non‑FLSA employers; most workers get at least the federal rate. | [3][1]
| Wyoming | $5.15/hr | [1][3]$7.25/hr (federal) | [7][1]Same structure as Georgia, with limited coverage for the 5.15‑dollar rate. | [3][1]
| Federal floor (applies in ~20 states) | $7.25/hr | [7]$7.25/hr | [7]States like Texas, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas either match or default to this rate. | [5][7]