Which US cities have the highest hourly wages?
Some places in the United States offer salaries way above minimum wage, exceeding $18 per hour. Learn about the cities which offer the highest paychecks.
In the United States, the minimum wage at the federal level is $7.25 per hour. This amount has remained unchanged for more than 13 years, marking the longest period without an increase since the base salary was created in 1938.
Although several proposals have been presented to increase it, none have been approved by Congress. Fortunately for many, the minimum wage is higher in 30 states in the country, in addition to the District of Columbia. (This is the minimum wage situation across the states).
Several states allow their cities to establish their own minimum wages, as is the case of Washington and California, home to the cities with the highest base salaries in the country.
Which US cities have the highest hourly wages?
These are the cities with the highest minimum wages in the United States this 2023:
1. West Hollywood
The celebrity-filled city of West Hollywood officially has the highest minimum wage of any city in the United States. This after the salary increased to $19.08 per hour in July of this year.
2. SeaTac, Washington
This city has the second highest minimum wage in the country, which is no surprise, since it is located in the state with the highest base salary in the country, behind only the District of Columbia. The minimum wage in SeaTac is $19.06 in 2023.
3. Tukwila, Washington
This city has the third highest minimum wage in the country, at $18.99 per hour. This is expected to increase next year.
4. Seattle, Washington
Seattle has the fourth highest minimum wage in the country, at $18.69 an hour. Additionally, it is set to have one of the highest salaries next year, as the Office of Seattle Labor Standards (OLS) announced that the minimum wage will be $19.97 per hour starting January 1, 2024.
5. Emeryville, California
Next on the list of cities with the highest minimum wage in the country is located in the Golden State and is Emeryville, where the base salary for 2023 is $18.67 per hour.
In both Washington and California, cities can set their own minimum wages. Currently, the minimum wage in Washington is $15.74 per hour, the highest in the country, trailing only the District of Columbia ($17). By 2024, the base salary in this state will increase to $16.28.
California is the second state with the highest minimum wage. This year, the base salary in the state is $15.50 per hour, but starting in January 2024 it is expected to increase to $16.