The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 for ten years. In that time, the cost of living has continued to climb, leaving millions of families working harder than ever, but falling behind.
The Raise the Wage Act of 2019 would gradually raise the wage to $15 by 2024. Nationwide, it would benefit nearly 40 million workers – 27 percent of the workforce. Here’s how it would benefit workers in .
workers in would benefit from increasing the minimum wage to $15.
Percentage within each demographic group that would benefit
U.S. average | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Working men | XX,XXX | XX.X% | 16,716,000 | 21.7% |
Working women | XX,XXX | XX.X% | 22,957,000 | 31.7% |
Percentage within each racial or ethnic group that would benefit
Whites | |
African Americans | |
Latinos | |
Asian American or other | |
Black and Latina women | |
Black and Latino men |
When wages are lifted for workers, their families benefit, too. Millions of the workers who would benefit are parents, and a vast majority of single parents would benefit from the bump to $15.
U.S. average | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single parents | XX,XXX | XX.X% | 5,355,000 | 38.9% |
Married parents | XX,XXX | XX.X% | 5,887,000 | 15.6% |
Working mothers | XX,XXX | XX.X% | 7,824,000 | 33.6% |
Working fathers | XX,XXX | XX.X% | 3,416,000 | 14.7% |
A common misperception is that many minimum wage jobs are filled by teenagers who add little to the family’s income. The reality is that workers of every age would benefit from a boost in the minimum wage.
16-24 years old | |
25-39 | |
40-54 | |
55+ |
Data by state: While the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009, many states and cities have increased the minimum wage. As the wage floor rises in an area, it lifts wages for most workers.
These differences are reflected in the numbers of workers who would benefit from a raise to $15. For example, the minimum wage in California is $11 in 2019, and is increasing to $15 by 2024; this means that no workers would benefit from the raise in the federal minimum. (It does not, obviously, mean that no workers are earning low wages.) Some cities within California currently have a minimum of $15.
For more information on state labor policies, visit oxfamamerica.org/statemap.