Politics & Government
CA Minimum Wage Increases: Cities With The Highest Pay In 2026
The minimum wage will increase in the Golden State on Jan. 1. Plus, some cities will increase their already-higher minimum wage rates.
Workers making minimum wage in the Golden State will see a slight bump in pay starting in 2026.
The state's minimum wage is set to increase 40 cents at the start of the year, going from $16.50 to $16.90 an hour, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
Both fast food and health care workers have higher minimum wages in the Golden State. Since April 1, 2024, fast food workers at qualifying companies must be paid at least $20 an hour.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Since Oct. 16, 2024, certain health care workers must be paid a higher minimum wage, which is undergoing a tiered phase-in to $25 an hour.
California has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which is used by 20 states.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Some cities and counties have higher minimum wages than the state's minimum, however. According to an inventory compiled by the UC Berkeley Labor Center, 40 cities and counties in the Golden State have pay rates higher than the state minimum wage. The minimum wage is going up in some of those cities and counties in 2026.
Below is a list of cities and counties where the minimum wage increases on Jan. 1:
| Locality | Rate |
|---|---|
| Belmont | $18.95 |
| Burlingame | $17.86 |
| Cupertino | $18.70 |
| Daly City | $17.50 |
| East Palo Alto | $17.90 |
| El Cerrito | $18.82 |
| Foster City | $17.85 |
| Half Moon Bay | $17.91 |
| Hayward | $17.79; $16.90 for small employers |
| Los Altos | $18.70 |
| Menlo Park | $17.55 |
| Mountain View | $19.70 |
| Novato | $17.46; $16.90 for small employers |
| Oakland | $17.34 |
| Palo Alto | $18.70 |
| Petaluma | $18.31 |
| Redwood City | $18.65 |
| Richmond | $19.18 |
| San Carlos | $17.75 |
| San Diego | $17.75 |
| San Jose | $18.45 |
| San Mateo | $18.60 |
| San Mateo County (unincorporated) | $17.95 |
| Santa Clara | $18.70 |
| Santa Rosa | $18.21 |
| Sonoma | $18.47; $17.38 for small employers |
| South San Francisco | $18.15 |
| Sunnyvale | $19.50 |
| West Hollywood | $20.25 |
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