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Review our state-by-state guide to 2019 minimum wage rates to ensure you’re following the law.
Update July 1, 2019: This post has been updated to include minimum wage rates that increased on July 1, 2019.
A number of states, counties, and cities will raise their minimum wage rates on January 1, 2019. Nannies and other household employees are required by federal law to be paid at least the highest minimum wage of federal, state, and local rates. The federal rate is set at $7.25.
Here are the 2019 minimum wage rates effective January 1 that are relevant to household employers. Please note that New York State minimum wage rates increase on December 31, 2018.
States that are bolded have increased their minimum wage rates beginning January 1, 2019.
| State | 2019 Hourly Minimum Wage Rate | Additional Information |
| Alabama | $7.25 | Federal minimum wage applies; no state minimum wage |
| Alaska | $9.89 | |
| Arizona | $11 | Increases to $12/hour in 2020 |
| Arizona – Flagstaff | $12 | |
| Arkansas | $7.25 | For employers with four or more workers, the state rate of $9.25/hour applies. Increases to $10/hour in 2020 and $11/hour in 2021 |
| California | $11/hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees.
See additional chart below for cities that have new minimum wage rates for 2019. |
For employers with 25 or fewer employees, the minimum wage increases $1/hour every year until it hits $15/hour in 2023 |
| Colorado | $11.10 | Increases to $12/hour in 2020 |
| Connecticut | $10.10 | |
| Delaware | $9.25 | Increased to $9.25 on October 1, 2019 |
| District of Columbia | $14 | Increased to $14/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Florida | $8.46 | |
| Georgia | $7.25 | |
| Hawaii | $10.10 | |
| Idaho | $7.25 | |
| Illinois | $8.25 | |
| Illinois – Chicago | $13 | Increased to $13/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Illinois – Cook County | $12 | Increased to $12/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Indiana | $7.25 | |
| Iowa | $7.25 | |
| Kansas | $7.25 | |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | |
| Kentucky – Lexington | $10.10 | |
| Kentucky – Louisville | $9 | |
| Louisiana | $7.25 | Federal minimum wage applies; no state minimum wage |
| Maine | $11 | Increases to $12/hour in 2020. |
| Maine – Portland | $11.11 | Increased to $11.11/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Maryland | $10.10 | |
| Maryland – Montgomery County | $12.50; for employers with 10 or fewer employees | Increased to $12.50/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Maryland – Prince George County | $11.50 | |
| Massachusetts | $12 | Increases to $12.75/hour in 2020, $13.50/hour in 2021, $14.25/hour in 2022, and $15/hour in 2023 |
| Michigan | $9.45 | |
| Minnesota | $8.04 for small businesses | |
| Minnesota – Minneapolis | $11 for employers with 100 or fewer employees | Increased to $11/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Mississippi | $7.25 | Federal minimum wage applies; no state minimum wage |
| Missouri | $8.60 | Increases to $9.45/hour in 2020, $10.30/hour in 2021, $11.15/hour in 2022, and $12/hour in 2023 |
| Montana | $8.50 | |
| Nebraska | $9 | |
| Nevada | $8.25 | |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | |
| New Jersey | $8.85 | $10/hour for employers with six or more workers |
| New Mexico | $7.50 | |
| New Mexico – Albuquerque | $9.20 | |
| New Mexico – Bernalillo County | $9.05 | |
| New Mexico – Las Cruces | $10.10 | |
| New York | $11.10; effective December 31, 2018 | Increases $1/hour every year until it reaches $15/hour in 2021 |
| New York – New York City | $13.50 for employers with 10 or fewer employees; effective December 31, 2018 | Increases to $15/hour on December 31, 2019 |
| New York – Nassau, Suffolk & Westchester Counties | $12; effective December 31, 2018 | Increases $1/hour every year until it reaches $15/hour in 2021 |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | |
| Ohio | $7.25 | Ohio has a special minimum wage for businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $314,000 per year ($8.55/hour). Household employers follow the federal wage of $7.25/hour. |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | |
| Oregon | $11.25 | Increased to $11.25/hour on July 1, 2019; $12/hour in 2020; $12.75/hour in 2021; and $13.50/hour in 2022 |
| Oregon – Nonurban Counties | $11 | Increased to $11/hour on July 1, 2019; $11.50/hour in 2020; $12/hour in 2021; and $12.50/hour in 2022 |
| Oregon – Portland Metro | $12.50 | Increased to $12.50/hour on July 1, 2019; $13.25/hour in 2020; $14/hour in 2021; and $14.75/hour in 2022 |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | |
| Rhode Island | $10.50 | |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | Federal minimum wage applies; no state minimum wage |
| South Dakota | $9.10 | |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | Federal minimum wage applies; no state minimum wage |
| Texas | $7.25 | |
| Utah | $7.25 | |
| Vermont | $10.78 | |
| Virginia | $7.25 | |
| Washington | $14 | Increased to $14/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Washington – Seattle | $12 if you contribute to employee’s medical benefits; $15 if you don’t contribute to employee’s medical benefits | Increases to $13.50/$15.75 in 2020 |
| Washington – Tacoma | $12.35 | |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | |
| Wyoming | $7.25 |
The following California cities have a higher minimum wage than the state’s rate and supersedes the state’s minimum wage requirement.
| City | 2019 Hourly Minimum Wage Rate | Additional Information |
| Alameda | $13.50 | |
| Belmont | $13.50 | |
| Berkeley | $15 | |
| Cupertino | $15 | |
| El Cerrito | $15 | |
| Emeryville | $16.30 for small employers | Increased to $16.30/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Los Altos | $15 | |
| Los Angeles (city and county) | $13.25 for small employers | Increased to $13.25/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Malibu | $13.25 | Increased to $13.25/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Milpitas | $15 | Increased to $15/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Mountain View | $15.65 | |
| Oakland | $13.80 | |
| Palo Alto | $15 | Effective January 2, 2019 |
| Pasadena | $13.25 for small employers | Increased to $13.25/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Richmond | $16 | |
| San Diego | $12 | |
| San Francisco | $15 | |
| San Jose | $15 | |
| San Leandro | $14 | Increased to $14/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| San Mateo | $15 | |
| Santa Clara | $15 | |
| Santa Monica | $13.25 for small employers | Increased to $13.25/hour on July 1, 2019 |
| Sunnyvale | $15.65 |
For more information on paying your household employee the right way, view our nanny tax guide.
Better yet, why do it yourself? Let GTM Payroll Services manage it all for you and remove the risks, hassles, and worries of complying with federal and state tax, wage, and labor laws. Call (800) 929-9213 for a free, no-obligation consultation with a household employment expert.
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