Story perspectives

Seattle Raises Minimum Wage to $22.14 by 2027

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 2:55 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Seattle city government will raise the minimum wage to $22.14 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027.
The increase represents a 3.9% rise from the 2026 wage of $21.30.
A University of Wisconsin study found the wage announcement reduced new business formation in Seattle.
The same study reported increased business formation in adjacent suburbs with lower wage floors.
During the first half of 2025, 450 Seattle restaurants—about 16% of total—closed.

History

Historical Context

In May 2014 Mayor Ed Murray announced Seattle would phase in a $15-per-hour minimum, the first major U.S. city to act after the 2012 Fight for $15 movement. The ordinance began April 1 2015; a University of Washington study later found a 9% drop in hours when the wage rose to $13 in 2016. The 2027 increase to $22.14 builds on this decade-long experiment.

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Story summary

Seattle city government will raise the minimum wage to $22.14 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027.
The increase represents a 3.9% rise from the 2026 wage of $21.30.
A University of Wisconsin study found the wage announcement reduced new business formation in Seattle.
The same study reported increased business formation in adjacent suburbs with lower wage floors.
During the first half of 2025, 450 Seattle restaurants—about 16% of total—closed.

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