Number of the Day Shows Minimum Wage Disparities

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Published December 31, 2020
Number of the Day

That’s how many (or few) states will raise their minimum wage by at least $1 tomorrow.

Of the 20 states enacting an increase in their minimum wage at the turn of the year, just Arkansas, California, Illinois, New Jersey, and New Mexico are raising the wage by $1 or more. The remaining 15 cost-of-living adjustments or legislatively scheduled increases are less than a dollar—in some cases 10 or 15 cents, according to the Congressional Research Service. Connecticut, Florida, and Virginia will also increase their wages by at least $1, but not until later in the year.

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 hasn’t increased since July 2009 and will still apply in about 20 states that have the same or lower state-imposed minimum wage (or no state wage at all). President-elect Joe Biden made raising this minimum to $15 a focal point on the campaign trail, though he’d have to get it through Congress first.

Article Sources

  1. Congressional Research Service. “State Minimum Wages: An Overview.” Table 2. Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.

  2. National Conference of State Legislatures. "State Minimum Wages." Accessed Dec. 31, 2020.