The minimum wage in Seattle will rise to $22.14 per hour at the start of next year, the Office of Labor Standards announced Monday.

That's an increase of 3.9% from the current minimum wage of $21.30.

The city's minimum wage ordinance requires the minimum wage to be raised annually to reflect local inflation.

Today's announcement means that Seattle's minimum wage will remain one of the highest in the nation.

In Washington, the 2026 minimum wage is $17.13 per hour. Federally, it's been set at $7.25 since 2009.

For years, people in the Seattle area have faced higher inflation rates than the national average. In the year ending in August, the consumer price index for Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue rose by 4.4% — a whole percentage point higher than the U.S. average.

High inflation compounds affordability issues in the area.

At the start of 2026, the cost of living index in Seattle was 45% higher than the national average, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research, an organization that measures relative prices across the country.

Economists cite numerous factors for the area's higher costs of living. Workers in the area earn higher median incomes. High housing and gas costs also drive up consumer spending.

Other cities in Washington and other states have passed local minimum wages higher than the state floor, often setting different wages based on employer size.

In Renton, the current minimum wage is $21.57 per hour. In Burien, it's $21.63 per hour for employers with 500 or more employees, and $20.63 for those with between 21 and 499 employees. In Tukwila, the minimum wage is $21.65 per hour for any business with at least 15 employees.

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