{"id":2340,"date":"2026-06-25T13:35:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T13:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=2340"},"modified":"2026-06-25T13:35:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T13:35:19","slug":"raising-the-minimum-wage-helps-some-workers-but-economists-warn-it-could-hurt-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=2340","title":{"rendered":"Raising the minimum wage helps some workers, but economists warn it could hurt others"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The price of everyday life keeps climbing \u2014 and more states are raising the minimum wage to help workers keep up. But economists say how high it goes could make the difference between more opportunity or fewer jobs.<\/p>\n

Read more White House requests $87 billion from Congress for Iran war, farm subsidies and DC renovations<\/a><\/p>\n

Nineteen states raised the minimum wage on Jan. 1 this year, and three more will see increases in the coming months. The median minimum wage nationwide is around $15 an hour. Meanwhile, 20 states remain at the federal baseline of $7.25.<\/p>\n

Economist Heather Long says support for raising the wage crosses political lines.<\/p>\n

“Anytime voters have had a chance to vote on this… they overwhelmingly vote to increase it \u2014 even in conservative states,” Long said. “Most people do not think $7.25 is livable.”<\/p>\n

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | <\/b>US job market extends winning streak with 172,000 new positions in May 2026<\/b><\/p>\n

Housing costs are a major driver in the current debate \u2014 up 50% in the past five years. Rent hikes are now impacting places that were previously considered affordable.<\/p>\n

“High housing costs used to be just New York and San Francisco,” Long said. “Now it’s Texas, Florida, Phoenix \u2014 places once seen as cheaper.”<\/p>\n

Economist Scott Beaulier, dean at the University of Wyoming College of Business, says minimum wage hikes affect different workers in different ways.<\/p>\n

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“If you raise the minimum wage too much, it’s going to be automation that’s relied on for those first jobs like McDonald’s \u2014 we’re seeing it right now,” Beaulier said. “So the minimum wage is one tool to help the poor and those who are over-skilled, but it runs this risk of if you raise it too much you’re going to end up causing unemployment as well.”<\/p>\n

Beaulier says the idea of a “living wage” can vary widely depending on location, age, and life stage.<\/p>\n

“A living wage for someone in Laramie, Wyoming, versus someone living in the Bay Area is going to be very different,” he said. “When you look at a person’s lifespan too, those who are just out of college aren’t going to need as much to live on as a family of say five.”<\/p>\n

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Studies show moderate wage increases tend to add only a few cents to consumer prices, because labor is only a fraction of a total business cost. But both economists warn dramatic increases in wages could mean fewer hires and more automation.<\/p>\n

The challenge is finding a “Goldilocks” wage that works for both workers and businesses. Any changes to the federal minimum wage, however, require action from Congress.<\/p>\n

Read more State Route 87 reopens near Sunflower after closure due to the \u2018Round Valley Fire\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The cost of living keeps climbing \u2014 and states are responding by raising the minimum wage. 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