City and County Minimum Wage Rate Guide:
Updated for January 1, 2026

The federal minimum wage hasn’t increased since 2009. In response, smaller jurisdictions have taken it upon themselves to set their own rates. States, counties and cities continue to pass new minimum wage laws, creating challenges for employers to manage rates across their organizations.

Tracking, applying and communicating minimum wage rates for large employers has become increasingly complex. This guide gives an overview of updates at the county and city levels.

Notes on Using This Guide

This guide only covers county and city minimum wage rates for large employers that update on January 1, 2026.

State wage rates are not included, nor are county and city wage rates updated at other times of the year.

Looking for updates by state? View 2026 State Minimum Wage Rates, in GovDocs’ Employment Law News.

Please note: some local laws have been preempted by higher rates at the state level and are not included here.

Lastly, please note that your locations may be required to pay a different wage, depending on factors such as:

• Industry/sub-industry
• Tipped wages
• Small-employer wages
• Number of employees
• Minimum/maximum company revenue
• Student/learner wages
• New employee wages
• Overtime
• Whether the employer provides health benefits

Note: State wage rates are not included in this guide, nor are tipped wages, industry-specific rates or rates for employers of other sizes.
This guide is intended for market awareness only. It is not to be used as a substitute for legal advice or counsel.