Minimum Wage Rates for a Nanny and Other Household Employees

Household employees, such as nannies, housekeepers, and in-home senior caregivers, must be paid at least the applicable minimum wage. This will be the highest of the federal, state, or local rates. The federal rate of $7.25/hour hasn’t changed for quite some time. However, many states, counties, and cities have much higher rates.

Here are the current minimum wage rates for nannies and other household employees.

Alabama

$7.25/hour – No state minimum wage rate. The federal rate applies.

Alaska

$13/hour – Increases to $14/hour on July 1, 2026, and then to $15/hour on July 1, 2027.

Arizona

$15.15/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Flagstaff

$18.35/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Tucson

$15.45/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Arkansas

$11/hour

California

$16.90/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

California city-specific rates

See the chart below for local rates that exceed California’s minimum wage.

Colorado

$15.16/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Boulder

$16.82/hour – Effective January 1, 2026. Increases to $18.17/hour on January 1, 2027.

Boulder County

$16.82/hour –Effective January 1, 2026. Increased each year until it reaches $25/hour on January 1, 2030.

Denver

$19.29/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Edgewater

$18.17/hour – Effective January 1, 2026. Increases to $19.99/hour on January 1, 2027, and then to $21.99/hour on January 1, 2028.

Connecticut

$16.94/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Delaware

$15/hour

District of Columbia

$17.95/hour – Increasing to $18.40 per hour on July 1, 2026.

Florida

$14/hour – Increases to $15/hour on September 30, 2026.

Georgia

$7.25/hour – The state’s minimum wage rate of $5.15/hour doesn’t apply to household employees as it is below the federal rate.

Hawaii

$16/hour – Effective January 1, 2026. Increases to $18/hour on January 1, 2028.

Idaho

$7.25/hour

Illinois

$15/hour

Chicago

$16.60/hour – This rate applies to domestic workers regardless of the number employed by the family.

Cook County (outside of Chicago)

$15/hour – An inflation-adjusted minimum wage rate will be announced each year by June 1.

Indiana

$7.25/hour

Iowa

$7.25/hour

Kansas

$7.25/hour

Kentucky

$7.25/hour

Louisiana

$7.25/hour – No state minimum wage rate. The federal rate applies.

Maine

$15.10/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Portland

$16.75/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Rockland

$16/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Maryland

$15/hour

Howard County

$15.50/hour – Effective January 1, 2026. Increases to $16/hour on July 1, 2026. This rate applies to employers with fewer than 15 workers.

Montgomery County

$15.50/hour

Prince George’s County

$15/hour

Massachusetts

$15/hour

Michigan

$13.73/hour – Effective January 1, 2026. Increases to $15/hour on January 1, 2027.

Minnesota

$11.41/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Minneapolis

$16.37/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

St. Paul

$13.25/hour – Increases to $14.25/hour on July 1, 2026. This rate applies to employers with five or fewer employees.

Mississippi

$7.25/hour – No state minimum wage rate. The federal rate applies.

Missouri

$15/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Montana

$10.85/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Nebraska

$15/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Nevada

$12/hour

New Hampshire

$7.25/hour – No state minimum wage rate. The federal rate applies.

New Jersey

$15.23/hour – Effective January 1, 2026, for employers with fewer than six employees.

New Mexico

$12/hour

Las Cruces

$13.01/hour

Santa Fe (City and County)

$15/hour – Annual living wage increases occur on March 1.

New York

$16/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

The minimum wage for home health care aides is $18.65/hour, effective January 1, 2026.

New York City, Long Island & Westchester County

$17/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

The minimum wage for home health care aides is $19.65/hour, effective January 1, 2026.

North Carolina

$7.25/hour

North Dakota

$7.25/hour

Ohio

$7.25/hour – Ohio has a special minimum wage for businesses with annual gross receipts exceeding $405,000 per year. However, household employers are subject to the lower rate.

Oklahoma

$7.25/hour

Oregon

To determine which rate applies to your county, visit the Oregon Minimum Wage Rate Summary.

Portland

$16.30/hour

Standard

$15.05/hour

Non-urban counties

$14.05/hour

Pennsylvania

$7.25/hour

Rhode Island

$16/hour – Effective January 1, 2026. Increases to $17/hour on January 1, 2027.

South Carolina

$7.25/hour – No state minimum wage rate. The federal rate applies.

South Dakota

$11.85/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Tennessee

$7.25/hour – No state minimum wage rate. The federal rate applies.

Texas

$7.25/hour

Utah

$7.25/hour

Vermont

$14.42/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Virginia

$12.77/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Washington

$17.13/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

Bellingham

$19.13/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

King County

$18.32/hour – Effective January 1, 2026, for employers with 15 or fewer employees.

Seattle

$21.30/hour – Effective January 1, 2026.

West Virginia

$7.25/hour – The state minimum wage of $8.75 applies if you have six or more employees working at any one separate, distinct, and permanent work location.

Wisconsin

$7.25/hour

Wyoming

$7.25/hour – The state’s minimum wage rate of $5.15/hour doesn’t apply to household employees as it is below the federal rate.

California Local Minimum Wage Rates

Alameda

$17.46/hour

Belmont

$18.95/hour

Berkeley

$19.18/hour

Burlingame

$17.86/hour

Cupertino

$18.70/hour

Daly City

$17.50/hour

East Palo Alto

$17.90/hour

El Cerrito

$18.82/hour

Emeryville

$19.90/hour

Foster City

$17.85/hour

Fremont

$17.75/hour

Half Moon Bay

$17.91/hour

Hayward

$16.90/hour – For employers with 25 or fewer employees.

Los Altos

$18.70/hour

Los Angeles (city)

$17.87/hour

Los Angeles (county)

$17.81/hour

Malibu

$17.27/hour

Menlo Park

$17.55/hour

Milpitas

$18.20/hour

Mountain View

$19.70/hour

Novato

$16.90/hour – For small employers

Oakland

$17.34/hour

Palo Alto

$18.70/hour

Pasadena

$18.04/hour

Petaluma

$18.31/hour

Redwood City

$18.65/hour

Richmond

$19.18/hour – The minimum wage is $1.50 lower (or $17.68/hour) for employers that pay at least $1.50 per hour per employee to a medical benefits plan that allows the employee to receive employer-compensated care from a licensed physician.