Personal Finance
Chart: The Declining Value of the U.S. Federal Minimum Wage
See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.
The Declining Value of the U.S. Federal Minimum Wage
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
This graphic illustrates the history of the U.S. federal minimum wage using data compiled by Statista, in both nominal and real (inflation-adjusted) terms. The federal minimum wage was raised to $7.25 per hour in July 2009, where it has remained ever since.
Nominal vs. Real Value
The data we used to create this graphic can be found in the table below.
| Year | Nominal value ($/hour) | Real value ($/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 0.3 | 6.5 |
| 1945 | 0.4 | 6.82 |
| 1950 | 0.75 | 9.64 |
| 1955 | 0.75 | 8.52 |
| 1960 | 1 | 10.28 |
| 1965 | 1.25 | 12.08 |
| 1970 | 1.6 | 12.61 |
| 1975 | 2.1 | 12.04 |
| 1980 | 3.1 | 11.61 |
| 1985 | 3.35 | 9.51 |
| 1990 | 3.8 | 8.94 |
| 1995 | 4.25 | 8.49 |
| 2000 | 5.15 | 9.12 |
| 2005 | 5.15 | 8.03 |
| 2010 | 7.25 | 10.09 |
| 2015 | 7.25 | 9.3 |
| 2018 | 7.25 | 8.78 |
| 2019 | 7.25 | 8.61 |
| 2020 | 7.25 | 8.58 |
| 2021 | 7.25 | 8.24 |
| 2022 | 7.25 | 7.61 |
| 2023 | 7.25 | 7.25 |
What our graphic shows is how inflation has eroded the real value of the U.S. minimum wage over time, despite nominal increases.
For instance, consider the year 1960, when the federal minimum wage was $1 per hour. After accounting for inflation, this would be worth around $10.28 today!
The two lines converge at 2023 because the nominal and real value are identical in present day terms.
Many States Have Their Own Minimum Wage
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 30 states and Washington, D.C. have implemented a minimum wage that is higher than $7.25.
The following states have adopted the federal minimum: Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Meanwhile, the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee have no wage minimums, but have to follow the federal minimum.
How Does the U.S. Minimum Wage Rank Globally?
If you found this topic interesting, check out Mapped: Minimum Wage Around the World to see which countries have the highest minimum wage in monthly terms, as of January 2023.
Wealth
Visualizing the Tax Burden of Every U.S. State
Tax burden measures the percent of an individual’s income that is paid towards taxes. See where it’s the highest by state in this graphic.
Visualizing the Tax Burden of Every U.S. State
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
This map graphic visualizes the total tax burden in each U.S. state as of March 2024, based on figures compiled by WalletHub.
It’s important to understand that under this methodology, the tax burden measures the percent of an average person’s income that is paid towards state and local taxes. It considers property taxes, income taxes, and sales & excise tax.
Data and Methodology
The figures we used to create this graphic are listed in the table below.
| State | Total Tax Burden |
|---|---|
| New York | 12.0% |
| Hawaii | 11.8% |
| Vermont | 11.1% |
| Maine | 10.7% |
| California | 10.4% |
| Connecticut | 10.1% |
| Minnesota | 10.0% |
| Illinois | 9.7% |
| New Jersey | 9.5% |
| Rhode Island | 9.4% |
| Utah | 9.4% |
| Kansas | 9.3% |
| Maryland | 9.3% |
| Iowa | 9.2% |
| Nebraska | 9.2% |
| Ohio | 8.9% |
| Indiana | 8.9% |
| Arkansas | 8.8% |
| Mississippi | 8.8% |
| Massachusetts | 8.6% |
| Virginia | 8.5% |
| West Virginia | 8.5% |
| Oregon | 8.4% |
| Colorado | 8.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 8.4% |
| Wisconsin | 8.3% |
| Louisiana | 8.3% |
| Kentucky | 8.3% |
| Washington | 8.0% |
| New Mexico | 8.0% |
| Michigan | 8.0% |
| North Carolina | 7.9% |
| Idaho | 7.9% |
| Arizona | 7.8% |
| Missouri | 7.8% |
| Georgia | 7.7% |
| Texas | 7.6% |
| Alabama | 7.5% |
| Montana | 7.5% |
| South Carolina | 7.5% |
| Nevada | 7.4% |
| Oklahoma | 7.0% |
| North Dakota | 6.8% |
| South Dakota | 6.4% |
| Delaware | 6.4% |
| Tennessee | 6.1% |
| Florida | 6.1% |
| Wyoming | 5.7% |
| New Hampshire | 5.6% |
| Alaska | 4.9% |
From this data we can see that New York has the highest total tax burden. Residents in this state will pay, on average, 12% of their income to state and local governments.
Breaking this down into its three components, the average New Yorker pays 4.6% of their income on income taxes, 4.4% on property taxes, and 3% in sales & excise taxes.
At the other end of the spectrum, Alaska has the lowest tax burden of any state, equaling 4.9% of income. This is partly due to the fact that Alaskans do not pay state income tax.
Hate Paying Taxes?
In addition to Alaska, there are several other U.S. states that don’t charge income taxes. These are: Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
It’s also worth noting that New Hampshire does not have a regular income tax, but does charge a flat 4% on interest and dividend income according to the Tax Foundation.
Learn More About Taxation From Visual Capitalist
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out this graphic which ranks the countries with the lowest corporate tax rates, from 1980 to today.
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