Table 2
A $15 minimum wage in 2025 would raise pay for workers broadly across demographic categories: Demographic characteristics of workers who would be affected by the Raise the Wage Act of 2021
| Group | Total estimated workforce (millions) | Total affected (millions) | Share of group who are affected | Group’s share of total affected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All workers | 151.7 | 32.2 | 21.2% | 100.0% |
| Gender | ||||
| Women | 73.5 | 19.0 | 25.8% | 59.0% |
| Men | 78.3 | 13.2 | 16.9% | 41.0% |
| Age | ||||
| Age 19 or younger | 5.4 | 3.3 | 60.4% | 10.1% |
| Age 20 or older | 146.3 | 28.9 | 19.8% | 89.9% |
| Ages 16–24 | 20.6 | 11.0 | 53.3% | 34.2% |
| Ages 25–54 | 99.2 | 16.5 | 16.7% | 51.4% |
| Age 55 or older | 31.9 | 4.7 | 14.6% | 14.5% |
| Family status | ||||
| Married parent | 38.3 | 4.6 | 11.9% | 14.2% |
| Single parent | 13.9 | 4.4 | 31.6% | 13.7% |
| Married, no children | 39.2 | 5.0 | 12.8% | 15.5% |
| Unmarried, no children | 60.3 | 18.2 | 30.2% | 56.6% |
| Family income | ||||
| Less than $50,000 | 46.6 | 18.2 | 39.0% | 56.5% |
| $50,000–$99,999 | 48.9 | 8.4 | 17.2% | 26.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 54.9 | 4.9 | 8.9% | 15.3% |
| Work hours | ||||
| Less than full time (< 35 hours) | 30.7 | 13.2 | 43.0% | 41.0% |
| Full time (35+ hours) | 121.0 | 19.0 | 15.7% | 59.0% |
Source: Economic Policy Institute Wage Simulation Model; see Technical Methodology by Cooper, Mokhiber, and Zipperer (2019).
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