Seattle Announces 2027 Minimum Wage
The city said the increase reflects annual inflation adjustments and will keep Seattle’s wage floor among the highest in Washington State.
- On Monday, The Seattle Office of Labor Standards announced the minimum wage will rise to $22.14 per hour starting January 1, 2027, an 84-cent increase from the current $21.30 rate.
- The city's Minimum Wage Ordinance requires annual raises reflecting local inflation, driving this 3.9% increase from the current rate. Seattle residents face higher inflation rates than the national average, necessitating these adjustments.
- According to the Council for Community and Economic Research, Seattle's cost of living index is 45% above the national average. Consumer prices in Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue rose 4.4% in the year ending in August.
- Following 2025 legislation, all employers must pay the full $22.14 rate without reductions; small businesses can no longer offset wages with tips or medical benefits.
- While Burien, Renton, and Tukwila currently offer higher minimum wages, Seattle will rank highest in Washington State after January 1. Nationally, the federal minimum wage remains $7.25 since 2009.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Seattle Sets $22.14 Minimum Wage | Fresh Off The Press
Seattle set a 2027 minimum wage of $22.14 an hour, even as local businesses warn of closures and higher prices. Story Snapshot Seattle locked in a $22.14 minimum wage for 2027 under its city ordinance. The rate rises each January by local inflation and applies citywide within city limits. Restaurant and retail leaders predict reduced hours, higher prices, and possible closures. Past Seattle research found hours fell for some low-wage workers wh…
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Seattle has announced a new minimum wage rate that will make it the city with the nation’s highest pay floor in 2027. The city’s Office of Labor Standards announced Monday […]
New York Post
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Seattle Minimum Wage to Hit $22.14 an Hour in 2027, Among Highest in Nation
Seattle's minimum wage will rise to $22.14 an hour on Jan. 1, 2027, a 3.9 percent increase that officials say would make it one of the highest in the nation, even as the city has seen hundreds of restaurant closures and slower hiring since a 2025 wage mandate took effect.
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