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

Seventeen cities and counties across four states have minimum wage increases effective July 1, 2026. These jurisdictions span California, Illinois, Maryland, and Oregon.

California: Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Fremont, Los Angeles (city), Los Angeles County (unincorporated), Malibu, Milpitas, Pasadena, San Francisco, and Santa Monica.

Illinois: Chicago and Cook County.

Maryland: Montgomery County.

Oregon: Oregon Non-Urban Counties, Oregon Standard Counties, and the Portland Metro Area.

For a complete list of rates by jurisdiction, see the sortable table above or download the PDF guide.

Among the jurisdictions updating on July 1, 2026, Emeryville, California has the highest city minimum wage at $20.34 per hour.

Emeryville has historically maintained one of the highest local minimum wage rates in the country. Other high-rate California cities updating on July 1 include Berkeley and San Francisco, both at $19.61 per hour, followed by Pasadena at $18.57 and Milpitas at $18.50.

Note that this guide covers jurisdictions with July 1 effective dates. Rates in other cities may differ and update at other points in the year.

Effective July 1, 2026, the minimum wage in the City of Los Angeles is $18.42 per hour. The Los Angeles County unincorporated areas have a separate rate of $18.47 per hour.

Employers with locations in the Los Angeles area should pay close attention to which jurisdiction governs each worksite as city boundaries and unincorporated county areas do not always align with common address references.

Additional location-specific factors, including industry requirements, tipped wage rules, and employer size, may also affect the applicable rate. Consult legal counsel for compliance guidance specific to your workforce.

Effective July 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Chicago, Illinois is $17.05 per hour.

Employers operating in the broader Chicago metro area should also be aware that Cook County has a separate minimum wage of $15.40 per hour, effective the same date. The Cook County rate applies to unincorporated areas of the county and municipalities that have not opted out of the county ordinance.

Employers with worksites in both Chicago and suburban Cook County locations should verify which rate applies to each specific location.

Effective July 1, 2026, the minimum wage in San Francisco, California is $19.61 per hour.

San Francisco consistently maintains one of the highest local minimum wages in California. The rate applies to employees who work at least two hours per week within the geographic boundaries of the city and county of San Francisco, regardless of where the employer is headquartered.

As with all local rates, employers should factor in applicable industry rules, tipped wage provisions, and any other requirements under San Francisco's labor ordinances. This guide is intended for general market awareness and is not a substitute for legal advice.

Multi-location employers face a compounding compliance challenge: minimum wage rates vary by jurisdiction, update at different times of year, and may differ based on employer size, industry, or employee type.

Common approaches to managing multi-jurisdiction minimum wage compliance include:

• Manual tracking: HR or payroll teams monitor government sources for each jurisdiction. This is time-intensive and prone to missed updates as the number of locations grows.
• Payroll system alerts: Some HRIS and payroll platforms include wage update notifications, though coverage and accuracy vary.
• Dedicated compliance software: Purpose-built tools like GovDocs Minimum Wage monitor city, county, state, and federal rates automatically, flag changes, and support payroll accuracy across all locations — reducing manual research and compliance risk at scale.

For employers managing dozens or hundreds of locations, automated tracking is typically the most reliable and efficient option.