Sept. 30, 2025

For Immediate Release

Redwood City — San Mateo County’s minimum wage will rise to $17.95 per hour in unincorporated areas starting Jan. 1, 2026, up 49 cents from the 2025 minimum wage.

The County’s minimum wage rate applies to all employees who work at least two hours per week within the geographic boundaries of unincorporated San Mateo County, with few exceptions. Beginning Jan.  1, 2026, these workers must earn at least $17.95 per hour for all hours worked in the unincorporated areas.

The Board of Supervisors first set a minimum wage for unincorporated areas in November 2022, recognizing the challenges faced by low-wage workers in one of the most expensive regions in the United States. The minimum wage went into effect in April 2023 and increases annually in alignment with the consumer price index.

The minimum wage applies to nearly all workers, regardless of immigration status, across a wide geographic region. This includes North Fair Oaks, home to the bustling Middlefield Road corridor, agricultural land stretching from south of Pacifica to Pescadero, Broadmoor Village in the North County and other unincorporated pockets.

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