Currently, Bellingham sets its minimum wage at $1.00 above the statewide rate, meaning that on Jan. 1, 2025, the citywide rate will jump from $17.28 an hour to $17.66 an hour.

However, less than halfway through the year, Bellingham’s minimum wage will increase again. The 2023 ballot measure that established the citywide minimum wage says that, starting May 1, 2025, Bellingham’s minimum wage will be set at $2.00 above the statewide rate. So from May 2025 until the end of the year, Bellingham’s minimum wage will be $18.66 an hour. The following year, Bellingham’s minimum wage will be $2.00 higher than the 2026 statewide rate, which will be announced by L&I next September.

Read more at: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article293311924.html#storylink=cpy