ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. - Virginia’s minimum wage is set to increase Jan. 1, a change state labor officials say is tied directly to inflation and one that is already reigniting a longer-running debate over whether the Commonwealth should eventually move to a $15 an hour standard.
The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry says the adjusted minimum wage will rise from $12.41 an hour to $12.77 and remain in effect through Jan. 1, 2027. The agency attributes the increase to a 2.9% rise in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, a measure commonly used to track inflation.
For a full-time worker logging 40 hours a week, the 36-cent increase equals about $14 more per week, or roughly $750 more per year before taxes. For part-time workers, the impact is smaller in dollars but still noticeable over time, depending on hours worked.
At a coffee shop on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, barista Beritt Gruca said the change may not move his own paycheck much, but he views it as meaningful for others living closer to the wage floor.
“It doesn’t really affect me a whole lot,” Gruca said. “But I do think it’s a great thing for people to have, like, a little bit higher income around here now.”
Gruca added that he does not believe minimum wage work is enough for many households, particularly people supporting children on a single income.
“I think it’s really hard to live on just minimum wage,” he said. “If you are on minimum wage, I think that you definitely need a two person income, per household kind of thing. And that makes it kind of hard for, like, single moms and things like that.”
The increase lands as Virginia’s political leadership changes hands. Gov. Glenn Youngkin is nearing the end of his term, and advocates say the next administration and the new General Assembly session could bring renewed momentum for a higher target.
Gruca said he supports moving faster toward that benchmark.
“I think the sooner the better,” he said. “And that would really help people, just being able to live their day to day.”
Supporters of higher minimum wages argue increases help workers keep pace with rising costs for essentials, while critics warn higher payroll expenses can squeeze small businesses and contribute to higher prices or reduced hours. For now, the next raise is set, and workers across Virginia will see the updated wage when the calendar turns to 2026.
