---
title: A California city approved the highest minimum wage in the US… but is it enough?
description: West Hollywood just approved the highest minimum wage rate in the country, but it still falls short of the city’s living wage rate.
---

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# [A California city approved the highest minimum wage in the US… but is it enough?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/09052021-minimum-wage)

 Written by [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) | Nov 5, 2021 8:14:39 AM

On Thursday, West Hollywood, California, voted to increase the minimum wage to **$17.64/hour**, the highest in the US and more than 2x the federal rate of $7.25/hour. But according to MIT’s living wage calculator, even the highest-paying cities might not be paying enough.

The new wages take effect Jan. 1, 2022, for hotel workers — [in line](https://bca.lacity.org/Uploads/eeo/2021%20CHWMWO%20Wage%20Chart.pdf) with surrounding Los Angeles — and incrementally for everyone else.

#### **Why West Hollywood?**

West Hollywood is a small, 1.9-square-mile city within Greater Los Angeles, population [36k+](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/westhollywoodcitycalifornia) — and it’s expensive!

[Per](https://weho.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1317&meta_id=218350) a staff report, City Council considered MIT’s[ living wage calculator](https://livingwage.mit.edu/), which takes into account expenses like housing, food, and taxes. It [says](https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/06037) the living wage for a single Los Angeles County resident with no children would be $19.35/hour.

But this figure is based on average monthly housing costs of $1,279. In West Hollywood, the average 1-bed rents for $1.8k-$2k per month.

**Drama:** “Real Housewives” star Lisa Vanderpump was one of several West Hollywood business owners to [oppose](https://www.gawker.com/celebrity/bravos-lisa-vanderpump-argues-against-raising-minimum-wage-for-employees) the wage hike. But she’s also being [sued](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/lisa-vanderpump-sued-for-allegedly-failing-to-pay-pump-employees/) for allegedly not paying her employees the existing minimum wage.

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/09052021-minimum-wage)

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