Infographic: U.S. States With the Most Low-Wage Workers

Key Takeaways

Nationwide, 30% of workers, about 45.2 million people, earn less than $20 per hour.
Texas has the largest number of low-wage workers at 5.1 million.
Mississippi has the highest share of low-wage workers at 52%.
The District of Columbia has the lowest share and number of low-wage workers, at just 11% and 41,000 workers, respectively.

Low-wage work remains widespread across the United States. Even as the labor market continues to expand, wage gains have been uneven, leaving millions of workers earning less than $20 per hour, which is roughly $41,600 annually before taxes for full-time work.

This infographic ranks U.S. states by the share of low-wage workers earning less than $20 per hour, using data from the Economic Policy Institute as of July 2025.