Minimum Wage Raised in 19 States Jan. 1

digitalplatform.g@gmail.com 2 weeks agoLast Updated: January 1, 2026

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Low-wage workers in 19 states are starting the year with raises, including those in several states that recently hit or surpassed the $15 an hour mark.

Some of the lowest-wage states, such as Connecticut ($16.94 an hour) and Washington ($17.13), saw additional increases take effect on Jan. 1. The list of wage changes for 2026 also includes states such as Montana ($10.85) and Ohio ($11), which used the minimum inflation adjustment to increase their relatively low rate.

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has not decreased since 2009, leaving it up to states to set significant wage increases. According to the ADP, 20 states do not have a minimum wage above the federal level, while 34 states and territories contain other areas with minimum wages above them. (That group includes Washington DC, Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.)

Every year, the month of January sees a small number of minimum wage increases as the government-mandated automatic cost-of-living increase kicks in. It’s also the normal first day for any state laws that impose one or more limited wage increases.

For example, the $1.50 big increase that brings Nebraska’s minimum wage to $15 by 2026 is from the 2022 minimum wage ballot measure. Voters chose to raise the wage from $9 over the course of several years.

Looking ahead, the minimum wage will rise. Although January is the most common month for minimum wage increases, at least four states are expected to raise those wages later.

In the meantime, see the full collection of when the state minimum wage went up in Jan. 1.

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Countries adjusting minimum wages for inflation in 2026

Minimum wage laws often tie the minimum wage to indices of inflation such as the consumer price index, or CPI in an attempt to provide automatic cost-of-living adjustments that help keep wages in line with rising prices.

These are the 13 states that saw that type of minimum wage adjustment in Jan. 1:

In Arizona: $14.70 an hour to $15.15 (+45 cents from 2025)
California: $16.50 to $16.90 (+40 cents)
In Colorado: $14.81 to $15.16 (+35 cents)
Connecticut: $16.35 to $16.94 (+59 cents)*
Maine: $14.65 to $15.10 (+45 cents)
In Minnesota: $11.13 to $11.41 (+28 cents)
Montana: $10.55 to $10.85 (+30 cents)
New Jersey: $15.49 to $15.92 (+43 cents)*
In Ohio: $10.70 to $11 (+30 cents)
South Dakota: $11.50 to $11.85 (+35 cents)
Vermont: $14.01 to $14.42 (+41 cents)
Virginia: $12.41 to $12.77 (+36 cents)
Washington: $16.66 to $17.13 (+47 cents)

Two carveouts to keep in mind: Connecticut’s minimum wage is tied to the employment cost index, not the consumer price index, which leads to larger increases.

And in New Jersey, seasonal employers and those with fewer than six employees are tied to that $15.92 rate. They could pay a minimum wage of $15.23 in 2026.