Washington State came out on top in a new ranking of the cities with the highest real minimum wage in 2018. The Evergreen State took the top three spots, and had four cities in the list overall.
The top three Washington cities with the highest real minimum wage are Yakima, Spokane, and Kennewick, respectively, ranging between $11.88 and $12.26 when adjusted for cost of living. Top city Yakima's has a cost of living roughly six percent lower than the national average. Tacoma, the fourth Washington city in SmartAsset's ranking, has a real minimum wage of $11.09 when adjusted for cost of living. Arizona had the next most cities on the list, Tucson, Phoenix, and Yuma.
The minimum wage has become a hot topic of debate in the U.S. The fight for $15 has become a popular rallying cry for advocates of a higher minimum wage. And many cities have answered the call, especially those with the highest costs of living. In fact, some cities like Seattle and Belmont, California have gone a step further by planning to extend their minimum wage past $15 per hour. However, with costs of living rising in step with minimum wage increases, the places with the highest nominal minimum wage may not have the highest real minimum wage.
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