Introduction
Whether the federal government should set a minimum wage has been an issue of debate for quite some time now. The minimum wage refers to the minimum amount a person is entitled to earn for their labor. It is often a regulation put in place by the government to ensure that companies don’t exploit their workers. The minimum wage imposed by the federal government is $7.25 per hour and no state can go below this limit. However, state governments do have autonomy over increasing the minimum wage or keeping it at federal levels within their states, with California currently offering the highest amount of $15.00 per hour. Recently, a rise in the cost of living expenses as a result of inflation has left many working families in the U.S. struggling to make ends meet. Congress has not been idle and in 2021 proposed legislation such as the Raise the Wage Act, which would see the federal minimum wage increase to $15.00 by 2025.
| # | State | Minimum Wage | Median Household Income | Personal Income per Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $15.2 | $68,687 | $59,998 |
| 2 | Washington | $14.49 | $87,648 | $72,163 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $14.25 | $86,566 | $83,229 |
| 4 | California | $14 | $81,575 | $77,211 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $14 | $80,958 | $82,918 |
| 6 | Oregon | $13.5 | $81,855 | $60,990 |
| 7 | New York | $13.2 | $72,920 | $77,029 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $13 | $88,559 | $75,086 |
| 9 | Arizona | $12.8 | $70,821 | $54,422 |
| 10 | Maine | $12.75 | $71,139 | $57,319 |
| 11 | Colorado | $12.56 | $84,954 | $70,764 |
| 12 | Vermont | $12.55 | $76,079 | $59,652 |
| 13 | Maryland | $12.5 | $97,332 | $69,694 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $12.25 | $74,982 | $61,726 |
| 15 | Illinois | $12 | $79,253 | $67,767 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $11.5 | $53,463 | $49,396 |
| 17 | Missouri | $11.15 | $63,594 | $55,141 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $11 | $50,784 | $50,943 |
| 19 | Virginia | $11 | $80,268 | $66,396 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $10.5 | $90,640 | $98,317 |
| 21 | Nevada | $10.5 | $64,340 | $58,451 |
| 22 | Alaska | $10.34 | $81,133 | $67,742 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $10.33 | $80,441 | $65,579 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $10.1 | $82,199 | $58,967 |
| 25 | Florida | $10 | $59,734 | $61,529 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $9.95 | $73,893 | $65,647 |
| 27 | Michigan | $9.87 | $64,488 | $54,684 |
| 28 | Ohio | $9.3 | $62,689 | $56,548 |
| 29 | Montana | $9.2 | $64,999 | $56,936 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $9 | $78,109 | $62,776 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $8.75 | $46,836 | $48,192 |
| 32 | Alabama | $7.25 | $56,929 | $48,540 |
| 33 | Georgia | $7.25 | $61,497 | $55,366 |
| 34 | Idaho | $7.25 | $76,918 | $52,021 |
| 35 | Indiana | $7.25 | $70,190 | $56,644 |
| 36 | Iowa | $7.25 | $72,429 | $57,012 |
| 37 | Kansas | $7.25 | $75,979 | $59,660 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $7.25 | $55,629 | $50,713 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $7.25 | $57,206 | $54,074 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $7.25 | $46,637 | $44,796 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $7.25 | $88,841 | $74,229 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $7.25 | $62,891 | $55,654 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $7.25 | $68,882 | $65,324 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $7.25 | $60,096 | $53,579 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $72,627 | $64,370 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $7.25 | $62,542 | $52,047 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $7.25 | $62,166 | $55,315 |
| 48 | Texas | $7.25 | $67,404 | $60,427 |
| 49 | Utah | $7.25 | $87,649 | $56,268 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $7.25 | $69,943 | $59,064 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $7.25 | $71,052 | $66,337 |
Minimum Wage by State
Alabama
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#32
$56,929
Ranked in the US
#46
Personal Income per Capita
$48,540
Ranked in the US
#49
Alaska
Minimum Wage
$10.34
Ranked in the US
#22
$81,133
Ranked in the US
#12
Personal Income per Capita
$67,742
Ranked in the US
#12
Arizona
Minimum Wage
$12.8
Ranked in the US
#9
$70,821
Ranked in the US
#28
Personal Income per Capita
$54,422
Ranked in the US
#41
Arkansas
Minimum Wage
$11
Ranked in the US
#18
$50,784
Ranked in the US
#49
Personal Income per Capita
$50,943
Ranked in the US
#46
California
Minimum Wage
$14
Ranked in the US
#4
$81,575
Ranked in the US
#11
Personal Income per Capita
$77,211
Ranked in the US
#4
Colorado
Minimum Wage
$12.56
Ranked in the US
#11
$84,954
Ranked in the US
#8
Personal Income per Capita
$70,764
Ranked in the US
#9
Connecticut
Minimum Wage
$14
Ranked in the US
#5
$80,958
Ranked in the US
#13
Personal Income per Capita
$82,918
Ranked in the US
#3
Delaware
Minimum Wage
$15.2
Ranked in the US
#1
$68,687
Ranked in the US
#32
Personal Income per Capita
$59,998
Ranked in the US
#24
District of Columbia
Minimum Wage
$10.5
Ranked in the US
#20
$90,640
Ranked in the US
#2
Personal Income per Capita
$98,317
Ranked in the US
#1
Florida
Minimum Wage
$10
Ranked in the US
#25
$59,734
Ranked in the US
#44
Personal Income per Capita
$61,529
Ranked in the US
#21
Georgia
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#33
$61,497
Ranked in the US
#42
Personal Income per Capita
$55,366
Ranked in the US
#37
Hawaii
Minimum Wage
$10.1
Ranked in the US
#24
$82,199
Ranked in the US
#9
Personal Income per Capita
$58,967
Ranked in the US
#28
Idaho
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#34
$76,918
Ranked in the US
#18
Personal Income per Capita
$52,021
Ranked in the US
#45
Illinois
Minimum Wage
$12
Ranked in the US
#15
$79,253
Ranked in the US
#16
Personal Income per Capita
$67,767
Ranked in the US
#11
Indiana
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#35
$70,190
Ranked in the US
#29
Personal Income per Capita
$56,644
Ranked in the US
#33
Iowa
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#36
$72,429
Ranked in the US
#25
Personal Income per Capita
$57,012
Ranked in the US
#31
Kansas
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#37
$75,979
Ranked in the US
#20
Personal Income per Capita
$59,660
Ranked in the US
#25
Kentucky
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#38
$55,629
Ranked in the US
#47
Personal Income per Capita
$50,713
Ranked in the US
#47
Louisiana
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#39
$57,206
Ranked in the US
#45
Personal Income per Capita
$54,074
Ranked in the US
#42
Maine
Minimum Wage
$12.75
Ranked in the US
#10
$71,139
Ranked in the US
#26
Personal Income per Capita
$57,319
Ranked in the US
#30
Maryland
Minimum Wage
$12.5
Ranked in the US
#13
$97,332
Ranked in the US
#1
Personal Income per Capita
$69,694
Ranked in the US
#10
Massachusetts
Minimum Wage
$14.25
Ranked in the US
#3
$86,566
Ranked in the US
#7
Personal Income per Capita
$83,229
Ranked in the US
#2
Michigan
Minimum Wage
$9.87
Ranked in the US
#27
$64,488
Ranked in the US
#35
Personal Income per Capita
$54,684
Ranked in the US
#40
Minnesota
Minimum Wage
$10.33
Ranked in the US
#23
$80,441
Ranked in the US
#14
Personal Income per Capita
$65,579
Ranked in the US
#16
Mississippi
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#40
$46,637
Ranked in the US
#51
Personal Income per Capita
$44,796
Ranked in the US
#51
Missouri
Minimum Wage
$11.15
Ranked in the US
#17
$63,594
Ranked in the US
#37
Personal Income per Capita
$55,141
Ranked in the US
#39
Montana
Minimum Wage
$9.2
Ranked in the US
#29
$64,999
Ranked in the US
#34
Personal Income per Capita
$56,936
Ranked in the US
#32
Nebraska
Minimum Wage
$9
Ranked in the US
#30
$78,109
Ranked in the US
#17
Personal Income per Capita
$62,776
Ranked in the US
#19
Nevada
Minimum Wage
$10.5
Ranked in the US
#21
$64,340
Ranked in the US
#36
Personal Income per Capita
$58,451
Ranked in the US
#29
New Hampshire
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#41
$88,841
Ranked in the US
#3
Personal Income per Capita
$74,229
Ranked in the US
#7
New Jersey
Minimum Wage
$13
Ranked in the US
#8
$88,559
Ranked in the US
#4
Personal Income per Capita
$75,086
Ranked in the US
#6
New Mexico
Minimum Wage
$11.5
Ranked in the US
#16
$53,463
Ranked in the US
#48
Personal Income per Capita
$49,396
Ranked in the US
#48
New York
Minimum Wage
$13.2
Ranked in the US
#7
$72,920
Ranked in the US
#23
Personal Income per Capita
$77,029
Ranked in the US
#5
North Carolina
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#42
$62,891
Ranked in the US
#38
Personal Income per Capita
$55,654
Ranked in the US
#36
North Dakota
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#43
$68,882
Ranked in the US
#31
Personal Income per Capita
$65,324
Ranked in the US
#17
Ohio
Minimum Wage
$9.3
Ranked in the US
#28
$62,689
Ranked in the US
#39
Personal Income per Capita
$56,548
Ranked in the US
#34
Oklahoma
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#44
$60,096
Ranked in the US
#43
Personal Income per Capita
$53,579
Ranked in the US
#43
Oregon
Minimum Wage
$13.5
Ranked in the US
#6
$81,855
Ranked in the US
#10
Personal Income per Capita
$60,990
Ranked in the US
#22
Pennsylvania
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#45
$72,627
Ranked in the US
#24
Personal Income per Capita
$64,370
Ranked in the US
#18
Rhode Island
Minimum Wage
$12.25
Ranked in the US
#14
$74,982
Ranked in the US
#21
Personal Income per Capita
$61,726
Ranked in the US
#20
South Carolina
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#46
$62,542
Ranked in the US
#40
Personal Income per Capita
$52,047
Ranked in the US
#44
South Dakota
Minimum Wage
$9.95
Ranked in the US
#26
$73,893
Ranked in the US
#22
Personal Income per Capita
$65,647
Ranked in the US
#15
Tennessee
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#47
$62,166
Ranked in the US
#41
Personal Income per Capita
$55,315
Ranked in the US
#38
Texas
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#48
$67,404
Ranked in the US
#33
Personal Income per Capita
$60,427
Ranked in the US
#23
Utah
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#49
$87,649
Ranked in the US
#5
Personal Income per Capita
$56,268
Ranked in the US
#35
Vermont
Minimum Wage
$12.55
Ranked in the US
#12
$76,079
Ranked in the US
#19
Personal Income per Capita
$59,652
Ranked in the US
#26
Virginia
Minimum Wage
$11
Ranked in the US
#19
$80,268
Ranked in the US
#15
Personal Income per Capita
$66,396
Ranked in the US
#13
Washington
Minimum Wage
$14.49
Ranked in the US
#2
$87,648
Ranked in the US
#6
Personal Income per Capita
$72,163
Ranked in the US
#8
West Virginia
Minimum Wage
$8.75
Ranked in the US
#31
$46,836
Ranked in the US
#50
Personal Income per Capita
$48,192
Ranked in the US
#50
Wisconsin
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#50
$69,943
Ranked in the US
#30
Personal Income per Capita
$59,064
Ranked in the US
#27
Wyoming
Minimum Wage
$7.25
Ranked in the US
#51
$71,052
Ranked in the US
#27
Personal Income per Capita
$66,337
Ranked in the US
#14