New Hampshire's minimum wage of $7.25 in 2026 is below average in the United States, and it is the same as than the base federal minimum wage of $7.25 still used in 20 states.
Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the weekly minimum wage in New Hampshire is $290. For full-time employees working 52 weeks per year, the annual minimum wage in New Hampshire is $15.1K.
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
The minimum wage rate of New Hampshire and its neighboring states ranges from $7.25 to $15.10, with an average of $12.94. New Hampshire, at $7.25, has the lowest hourly minimum wage within this group of states. Maine ($15.10), Massachusetts ($15), and Vermont ($14.42) all have higher hourly rates than New Hampshire.
While the general minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in New Hampshire, there is one exception where workers may legally receive less than this amount:
Employees who customarily receive more than $30/month in tips may be paid a base rate of at least 45% of the applicable minimum wage, as long as total earnings equal at the minimum wage.
New Hampshire's cost of living index for 2025 is 111.4, which places it as the 14th most expensive state to live in the United States.
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Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the real wage in New Hampshire, adjusted for the state’s cost of living index of 111.4, is approximately $6.51 per hour. This means that while the nominal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the purchasing power of those earnings is lower due to New Hampshire's higher cost of living expenses. For full-time employees, the real weekly earnings amount to roughly $260.32, translating to an annual purchasing power of $13,536.80 when working 52 weeks per year.
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According to the most recent data, the median household income in the United States has seen a significant increase in 2023.
New Hampshire does not set its own state minimum wage, so the minimum wage is tied to the federal rate of $7.25 per hour. The state also does not maintain separate statewide wage tiers or scheduled automatic increases. Any changes to the minimum wage in New Hampshire depend entirely on federal-level legislation rather than state-specific wage laws or index-based adjustments.