Here's how much Connecticut's minimum wage will increase in 2026

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CONNECTICUT - Connecticut’s minimum wage will increase to $16.94 on Jan. 1, 2026.

Connecticut's minimum wage in 2026

What we know:

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced back in September that the state's minimum wage will increase by $0.59 next year.

HARTFORD, NY - FEBRUARY 5: Gov. Ned Lamont proposes a new two-year, $55 billion budget during a speech to a joint gathering of the Senate and House of Representatives at the State Capitol in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, February 5, 2025. (Dave Zajac/C

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The change is required under Public Act 19-4, a state law Lamont signed in 2019 that connects the minimum wage to economic indicators.

New York's minimum wage in 2026

New York’s minimum wage is set to rise again on Jan. 1, 2026, marking the latest increase in the state’s multiyear schedule. 

The wage will go up by $0.50, following a similar increase that took effect Jan. 1, 2025.

Fight for minimum wage increase in NY

A new bill being introduced in the New York Legislature would increase the minimum wage to $21.25 by January 2027 for the entire state.

The new wage will be $17 for most employees in the state.

New York’s minimum wage has climbed steadily since 2016, with annual increases varying by region. Workers in the remainder of the state reached $15.50 in 2025, following years of incremental adjustments.

New Jersey's minimum wage in 2026

New Jersey’s minimum wage will increase on Jan. 1, 2026. For most employees, wages will increase by 43 cents to $15.92 per hour.

SHANGHAI, CHINA - 2024/08/31: In this illustration, a person is holding some US dollar cash bills in his hands, some of which are placed on a table. (Photo Illustration by Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The increase is required under the state constitution, which ties annual adjustments to changes in the Consumer Price Index. Workers employed by seasonal and small businesses will see their minimum wage rise from $14.53 to $15.23, as they continue on a separate phase-in schedule that runs through 2028.

Legislation Gov. Murphy signed in 2019 set New Jersey on a multiyear path to a $15 minimum wage, which most workers reached in 2024.