Oregon’s minimum wage is set to rise 50 cents an hour on July 1, with three-tier system still in place

PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW/KPTV) — Oregon's minimum wage is set to rise on July 1, following the automatic annual schedule put in place by the state legislature in 2016, KGW reported. And as in the past, the minimum wage varies by what part of the state you live in.

The increase for 2024 is 50 cents statewide, although the state will continue to have three separate minimum wages: a standard wage, a higher wage for the Portland metro area and a lower wage for non-urban counties.

The Portland metro rate will rise from $15.45 per hour to $15.95, while the standard rate will rise from $14.20 to $14.70 and the non-urban rate will rise from $13.20 to $13.70.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries calculates the annual adjustment by April 30 of each year, based on inflation over the previous year as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Adjustments are rounded to the nearest five cents.

The formula is applied to the standard minimum wage, and then the other two are adjusted by the same dollar amount so that the Portland wage is always $1.25 over the standard and the non-urban wage is always $1 lower than the standard. 

The Washington State minimum wage increases annually on Jan. 1 rather than July 1; the state's minimum wage increased from $15.74 to $16.28 at the start of 2024. The federal minimum wage is not increasing for 2024 and remains $7.25 per hour, the same as it's been since 2009. However, 30 states set their own higher minimum wages.

Here's a breakdown of which parts of Oregon fall into each minimum wage category:

$15.95 per hour (Portland metro rate)

The Portland metro area rate applies to areas within the urban growth boundary, which include parts of the counties below:

• Clackamas
• Multnomah
• Washington

$14.70 per hour (Standard rate)

The standard rate impacts the counties below, as well as parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties that are outside the urban growth boundary:

• Benton
• Clatsop
• Columbia
• Deschutes
• Hood River
• Jackson
• Josephine
• Lane
• Lincoln
• Linn
• Marion
• Polk
• Tillamook
• Wasco
• Yamhill

$13.70 per hour (Non-urban rate)

The nonurban rate applies to the entirety of each county listed below:

• Baker
• Coos
• Crook
• Curry
• Douglas
• Gilliam
• Grant
• Harney
• Jefferson
• Klamath
• Lake
• Malheur
• Morrow
• Sherman
• Umatilla
• Union
• Wallowa
• Wheeler