Summary
More U.S. states now have a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, with Virginia recently joining the list. The move creates a divide between states with higher minimum wages and those sticking to the federal minimum of $7.25.
Key Facts
- Virginia lawmakers approved raising the state's minimum wage to $15 by 2028.
- Virginia's minimum wage was already increased to $12.77 in January 2023.
- Governor Abigail Spanberger supports the wage increase to help workers afford living costs.
- As of 2023, 17 states plus Washington, D.C., have minimum wages at or above $15 per hour.
- States such as California, New York, and Washington have minimum wages that rise with inflation.
- Over 20 states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, unchanged since 2009.
- The geographic divide sees higher wages in coastal and some midwestern states, with lower wages in the South and Great Plains.
- The "Fight for $15" started over a decade ago and remains a contentious issue.
