New York minimum wage by region (2026)
| Region | Rate (Effective January 1, 2026) | Counties / areas included |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | $17.00/hr | All five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island) |
| Long Island & Westchester | $17.00/hr | Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County |
| Rest of New York State | $16.00/hr | All other New York counties not listed above |
All three rates are confirmed from the New York State Department of Labor minimum wage page (dol.ny.gov), effective January 1, 2026, under NY Labor Law Art. 19 §652.
Which region applies to your employer?
The applicable minimum wage is determined by where the work is performed, not where the employee lives. An employee who lives in New Jersey but works in Manhattan is covered by New York City's $17.00/hr rate. An employee who lives in the Bronx but works in Albany is covered by the $16.00/hr statewide rate.
Rate history and 2027 CPI indexing
New York has historically run higher rates in New York City and Long Island/Westchester than in the rest of the state, reflecting the higher cost of living in those regions. Beginning January 1, 2027, the rate for the remainder of the state will transition to CPI indexing for the Northeast region. The NYC and Long Island/Westchester tiers may also adjust — verify 2027 rates from NY DOL when announced.
The rollover date for New York's minimum wage is January 1 annually. January 1 annually (CPI-indexed for Northeast starting 2027).
Worked examples by region
Example 1: New York City employer (40-hour week)
Example 2: Remainder of state employer (40-hour week)
Example 3: Cost difference between regions (40-hour week)
Special overtime categories in New York
New York Labor Law Art. 19 §652 sets the standard overtime threshold at 40 hours per workweek at 1.5× the regular rate. However, two categories have different thresholds:
- Residential ("live-in") workers: overtime after 44 hours per week.
- Farm workers: overtime after 52 hours per week as of January 1, 2026, phasing down to 40 hours per week by 2032.
These are overtime thresholds, not minimum wage tiers — all workers receive the applicable minimum wage for their region regardless of category.
What this does not determine
- Whether a specific employer or worker is exempt from the New York minimum wage law.
- Tipped employee rates — New York has industry-specific tipped wage rates under 12 NYCRR Part 146 (hospitality) and other orders; verify current tipped rates from NY DOL.
- The 2027 CPI-adjusted rates — announced by NY DOL before January 1, 2027; verify at dol.ny.gov.
- New York City additional local requirements — the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) administers additional workers' rights laws. Verify NYC-specific rules at nyc.gov/dcwp.
- Hospitality spread-of-hours premium — 12 NYCRR Part 146 §146-1.6 requires one additional hour at minimum wage when a workday spans more than 10 hours. Not a minimum wage requirement, but affects total compensation.
New York statute and enforcement
New York's minimum wage is codified in NY Labor Law Article 19, §652. The New York State Department of Labor enforces wage and hour laws. Employees who believe they have been underpaid may file a wage claim with the NY DOL at dol.ny.gov. New York has a 6-year statute of limitations for minimum wage and overtime claims — longer than most states.
New York vs. neighboring Connecticut
Connecticut's 2026 minimum wage is $16.94/hr (ECI-indexed, effective January 1, 2026) — a single statewide rate with no regional tiers. New York's NYC and Long Island/Westchester rate of $17.00/hr is $0.06/hr higher than Connecticut's statewide floor. The remainder of New York at $16.00/hr is $0.94/hr below Connecticut. For workers and employers along the CT/NY border, the applicable rate depends on which state the work is performed in.
Sources and verification
All three regional rates were verified from the New York State Department of Labor minimum wage page (dol.ny.gov), effective January 1, 2026. The statute reference is NY Labor Law Art. 19 §652. The CPI-indexing schedule (starting 2027 for rest of state) is confirmed from the same source. See the site's methodology for how tiered rates are handled.