The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009. Sixteen years. The same $7.25 while rent doubled and groceries went through the roof. Congress did absolutely nothing.

But you know who did do something? The states.

The National Employment Law Project reports that a record 88 jurisdictions – 23 states and 65 cities and counties – raised their minimum wage floors in 2025. That’s the most ever in a single year.

When Washington won’t act, local governments step up. That’s actually how democracy is supposed to work.

The wins: 70 jurisdictions now at or above $15/hour. 53 jurisdictions at or above $17/hour. Some cities hitting $20+. Workers are finally seeing real raises.

Check this out. Burien, Washington just set their minimum wage at $21.16 for large employers. That’s the highest in the nation. King County, Washington is at $20.29. California fast food workers are at $20. Healthcare workers in California are getting up to $23.

These aren’t small increases either. We’re talking about real money that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

My wife’s cousin works at a restaurant in Colorado. She got a raise this year because the state minimum went up. It’s not gonna make her rich, but it’s an extra $200 a month. That’s groceries. That’s part of a car payment. That’s real.

My take: For years they told us raising minimum wage would destroy the economy. Those states and cities raised it anyway. Their economies are fine. The doomsayers were wrong. Again.

The Economic Policy Institute estimates that if the federal minimum went to $17, it would benefit over 22 million workers. That’s $70 billion in additional wages. $3,200 extra per year for the average affected worker.

But since Congress won’t do it, states are doing it themselves. Missouri voters approved a minimum wage increase – $13.75 in 2025, up to $15 in 2026. Hawaii is moving to $16. Rhode Island is heading to $17. The movement is happening whether politicians in Washington participate or not.

And look at who benefits. These aren’t just teenagers working summer jobs. Most minimum wage workers are adults. Many are parents. A lot are women. These are people trying to pay rent and feed families, not kids saving for concert tickets.

The momentum: Every year, more states raise their minimum wage. The federal floor may be stuck, but the real floor – what workers actually earn – keeps climbing. Progress is happening.

Now, I’m not gonna pretend $15 or even $20 is enough to live comfortably in most cities. It’s not. We still have a long way to go. But the direction is finally right. Wages are going UP instead of staying frozen while everything else costs more.

Twenty states are still stuck at that insulting $7.25 federal minimum. Mostly in the South. If you’re working for $7.25 an hour in 2025, your state government has failed you. Full stop. That’s not a living wage. It wasn’t a living wage in 2009 and it definitely isn’t now.

But the pressure is building. Workers are organizing. Voters are passing ballot initiatives. Companies like Costco are raising wages voluntarily because they can’t find workers at poverty rates. The market is moving even where the law hasn’t.

88 jurisdictions raised wages this year. A record. Sometimes progress is slow, but it’s still progress.