Minimum Wage Jobs in Northwest Oregon
July 08, 2026On July 1st, Oregon’s minimum wage increased across the state. In the counties comprising Northwest Oregon, all of which are part of the standard minimum wage area, the minimum wage increased $0.50 from $15.05 to $15.55. Since 2023, minimum wages across the state have been adjusted annually for inflation to maintain purchasing power for minimum wage earners. In 2025, there were 4,567 jobs paying $15.05 or less and 2,182 jobs paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage across Northwest Oregon. That equates to 4.2% of all jobs in Northwest Oregon paying minimum wage in 2025 with 2.0% of all jobs paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage.
| County | 2025 Minimum Wage Jobs | % of Total | Between 2025-2026 Minimum Wage Jobs | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | 1,769 | 4.2% | 816 | 1.9% |
| Clatsop | 819 | 3.7% | 325 | 1.5% |
| Columbia | 654 | 4.8% | 365 | 2.7% |
| Lincoln | 904 | 4.2% | 462 | 2.2% |
| Tillamook | 421 | 3.8% | 214 | 1.9% |
| NWO | 4,567 | 4.2% | 2,182 | 2.0% |
| Oregon | 92,289 | 4.2% | 43,393 | 2.0% |
In Benton County, 1,769 jobs (4.2%) paid minimum wage with 816 jobs (1.9%) paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage. Minimum wage jobs could be found across many industries, with leisure and hospitality and retail trade containing the highest number of jobs paying both minimum wage and paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage. 442 jobs in leisure and hospitality and 352 jobs in retail trade paid $15.05 or less, with 235 jobs in leisure and hospitality and 235 jobs in retail trade paying between $15.05 and $15.55.
Clatsop County had 819 jobs (3.7%) that paid minimum wage in 2025, with 325 jobs (1.5%) paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage. Leisure and hospitality employed the most minimum wage earners, with 361 jobs paying $15.05 or less and 168 jobs paying between $15.05 and $15.55.
Columbia County had the highest percentage of minimum wage jobs with 4.8% (654 jobs) of all jobs paying minimum wage and 2.7% (365 jobs) paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage. Leisure and hospitality employed the largest amount of minimum wage workers with 256 minimum wage jobs in 2025 and 173 jobs paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage.
Lincoln County had 904 jobs (4.2%) that paid minimum wage in 2025, with 462 jobs (2.2%) paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage. The largest number of minimum wage jobs was in leisure and hospitality with 358 jobs paying minimum wage and 180 jobs paying between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage.
Tillamook County had 421 jobs (3.8%) that paid minimum wage and 214 jobs (1.9%) that paid between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage. Like the other counties, leisure and hospitality had the largest number of minimum wage workers with 148 minimum wage jobs and 51 jobs that paid between the 2025 and 2026 minimum wage.
While leisure and hospitality employed the largest number of minimum wage workers in all five counties, other services had the largest percentage of minimum wage jobs in three of the five counties. Other services employed fewer individuals than leisure and hospitality but had a higher proportion of minimum wage jobs than the other industries. In Clatsop County, 14.5% of all jobs in other services paid minimum wage.