An hourly wage of $15 is more than twice the federal rate of $7.25, but it's still not enough to live in San Francisco comfortably, according to an SFGate analysis of data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. With a minimum-wage job, the numbers suggest, San Franciscans still need to work 160 hours per week to rent a two-bedroom home.
Minimum wage levels differ by city, but many activist groups in other metros are pushing for their own bumps to $15 per hour.
The Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think-tank, has compiled a list of minimum wages in cities across the US. In some areas, workers who receive tips can make as little as $2.13 an hour.
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Many cities follow state or federal minimum wage standards — even though the cost of living tends to be higher in urban areas than the rest of the state or country. In a process called indexing, some metros will soon begin adjusting minimum wage levels annually to account for inflation (based on the state or metro area's Consumer Price Index). Just six states currently have mandatory indexed increases, though several more have legislation in the works.
Take a look below at the minimum wage in 13 major US cities — the list is ordered based on each city's median rental cost for all housing types.
Detroit — $9.25 an hour
Minimum wage: an hour
Tipped wage: an hour
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Median rental housing price:
Louisville — $7.25 an hour
Minimum wage: an hour
Tipped wage: an hour
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Upcoming increases: None
Median rental housing price:
Iowa City — $7.25 an hour
Minimum wage: an hour
Tipped wage: an hour
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Upcoming increases: Annual indexing will begin in January 2021.
Median rental housing price:
Los Angeles — $13.25 an hour
Minimum wage: $13.25 an hour
Tipped wage: $13.25 an hour
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Upcoming increases: The minimum wage will increase to $14.25 an hour starting in July 2019, then rise to $15 an hour in July 2021. A
Median rental housing price: $1,360 per month
Phoenix — $10.50 an hour
Minimum wage: $7.25 an hour
Tipped wage: $2.13 an hour
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Upcoming increases: None
Median rental housing price: per month
Note: Every city in Arizona except Flagstaff follows state minimum wage standards.
Baltimore — $10.10 an hour
Minimum wage: $10.10 an hour
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Tipped wage: an hour
Upcoming increases: None
Median rental housing price: per month
Note: Most cities in Maryland follow state minimum wage standards.
Philadelphia — $7.25 an hour
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Minimum wage: $7.25 an hour
Tipped wage: $2.83 an hour
Upcoming increases: None
Median rental housing price: per month
Note: Every city in Pennsylvania follows federal minimum wage standards.
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Houston — $7.25 an hour
Minimum wage: $7.25 an hour
Tipped wage: $2.13 an hour
Upcoming increases: None
Median rental housing price: per month
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Note: Every city in Texas follows federal minimum wage standards.
Chicago — $12 an hour
Minimum wage: $12 an hour
Tipped wage: $6.25 an hour
Upcoming increases: Minimum wage will increase to $13 an hour starting in July 2019. A
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Median rental housing price: per month
Denver — $10.20 an hour
Minimum wage: $10.20 an hour
Tipped wage: an hour
Upcoming increases: The minimum wage will go up to $11.10 per hour starting in January 2019, then rise again to $12 an hour in January 2020. Annual indexing will begin in January 2021, based on Colorado's
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Median rental housing price:
Note: Every city in Colorado follows state minimum wage standards.
Miami — $8.25 an hour
Minimum wage: $8.25 an hour
Tipped wage: an hour
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Upcoming increases: None
Median rental housing price: per month
Note: Every city in Florida follows state minimum wage standards.
Washington, DC — $13.25 an hour
Minimum wage: an hour
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Tipped wage: an hour
Median rental housing price:
New York City — $13 an hour
Minimum wage: $13 an hour
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Tipped wage: $8.65 an hour
Upcoming increases: Minimum wage will go up to $15 an hour starting in January 2019.
Median rental housing price:
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