As of January 2025, the federal minimum wage stands at just $7.25 per hour despite calls for a $15 minimum wage.12

According to our research, the top five cities in the United States with the highest minimum wage as of 2025 are:34

• Burien, Wash.
• Tukwila, Wash.
• Renton, Wash.
• Seattle, Wash.
• SeaTac, Wash.

Key Takeaways

• The minimum wage is the least amount of money that an employer can pay a worker per hour.
• The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 for more than a decade, but there have been efforts to raise it to $15 per hour.
• The current federal minimum wage is insufficient to support an individual or a family, particularly in the more expensive cities in the U.S.
• Several cities have minimum wages that exceed the federal level; those with the highest rates are Burien, Tukwila, Renton, Seattle, and SeaTac, all in the state of Washington.
• Many states have minimum wage rates that are higher than the federal government's rate.

The Push for Higher Minimum Wages

Since its peak in 1968, the minimum wage relative to inflation and the cost of living has fallen steadily.5

Prior to the early 2010s, few states and municipalities had minimum wages significantly higher than the federal minimum wage. This changed when minimum wage workers came together to spread awareness about their plight.

These awareness campaigns were highly successful, drawing support from high-profile activists. These activists have since successfully pushed local governments in several cities to mandate higher...

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