This city has the highest minimum wage in AZ. Here's how much workers earn

Debates about what the minimum wage should be in Arizona are heating up as voters consider two minimum wage measures on the ballot this year.

The federal minimum wage has not increased in 16 years, leaving cities and states to decide on their own policies as the cost of living increases nationwide.

The current minimum wage in Arizona is $14.35 per hour, which has been steadily increasing since 2016 when voters approved a historic wage increase that also tied the minimum wage to the cost of living. In 2025, it will automatically increase to $14.70.

However, some cities have set a minimum wage higher than the state level. Here's which ones, as well as what could change if voters pass the minimum wage initiatives on the ballot.

Which Arizona city has the highest minimum wage?

Flagstaff boasts the highest minimum wage in the state at $17.40 an hour, with tipped workers making a base rate of $15.90.

In 2016, voters passed Proposition 414, which created a multiyear plan to raise the minimum wage. From 2017 to 2022, the wage was increased slowly to bring the rate up to $15. Since then, it's been calculated yearly based on the Consumer Price Index.

Flagstaff's minimum wage was set to increase to $17.85 per hour on Jan. 1, 2025.

Which cities have a minimum wage higher than the state level?

Tucson voters approved a minimum wage act in 2021 that adjusted the wage according to the cost of living. In 2025, Tucson's wage of $15 will be higher than the state level for the first time.

What ballot initiatives could affect minimum wage?

One initiative is just for Glendale voters, while the other would affect workers across Arizona.

• Proposition 499: This would raise the minimum wage for people who work in hotels, event centers and hospitality in Glendale, from $14.35 to $20 an hour. The measure also includes a range of regulations, such as requiring employers to give workers service charges and imposing limits on how many rooms hotel workers can clean before their pay is doubled.
• Proposition 138: This would affect all people who work for tips in Arizona. It would change how their base minimum wage is calculated, from $3 less than the minimum wage to 75%. Over time, this would cause the tipped worker minimum wage to grow at a slower rate than the normal minimum. However, the measure would also ensure that tipped workers make at least $2 over minimum wage.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @Reialirui on X, formerly Twitter.