JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Minimum wage workers in Florida are now making $12 an hour as of Sep. 30, 2023, bringing the minimum wage up from $11. For workers who rely on tips, the minimum wage increases to $8.98 an hour, according to the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.
The annual increase is part of an amendment to Florida's constitution, which increases the state's minimum wage to $15 a dollar per year, until 2026. Then, beginning in 2027, the minimum wage would be adjusted annually for inflation.
According to the U.S. Department of State, before Amendment 2 was approved in Nov. 3, 2020, the minimum wage in the Sunshine State was $8.65. Starting Sep. 30, 2021, the minimum wage went up to $10 per hour.
From there, the minimum wage increases on the following schedule:
- $11 on Sep. 30, 2022
- $12 on Sep. 30, 2023
- $13 on Sep. 30, 2024
- $14 on Sep. 30, 2025
- $15 on Sep. 30, 2026
The 'livable' wage in Duval County
As the minimum wage gradually increases, the 'living wage' in Florida is already higher than the 2026 minimum wage goal.
According to MIT's Living Wage Calculator, the hourly rate an individual must earn to support themselves in Duval County is $16.55. The annual income before taxes one adult needs to live in Duval County is $34,415.
That number more than doubles if an individual is taking care of themselves and one child, and goes up more based on the number of children and adults living in a household.
MIT calculates the numbers based on the geographic average costs of food, child care, health care, housing, transportation, and other basic needs like clothing, personal care items, and internet access.