In the 20 states where the minimum wage is set at the federal level of $7.25 per hour, full-time workers earning the minimum wage are paid well below the federal poverty line, making it difficult to cover basic living expenses.
If the minimum wage were raised to $10.00 per hour, a single parent with an infant and a toddler would gain an additional $3,900 in annual household resources on average across the states. This increase would allow families with young children to be able to afford essentials such as groceries, diapers, and rent more comfortably.
Research shows that a state minimum wage of at least $10.00 per hour has beneficial impacts to infants, toddlers, and parents, and more than 1 million workers across the country would benefit from this wage increase.
Learn more about how moving to $10.00 per hour minimum wage would benefit young children and families.
Explore our Policy Impact Calculator to see how household resources differ across the states based on state policy choices.
