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HOURLY WAGE INDEX

Let’s talk wages in Louisville

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$7.25

What is the minimum wage in Louisville?

The current minimum wage in Louisville, KY is $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal minimum wage. This means that all hourly workers in Louisville, regardless of their age or occupation, must be paid at least $7.25 per hour.

The minimum wage in Louisville has not increased since 2009. This is in contrast to the national minimum wage, which has increased several times since then. As a result, the minimum wage in Louisville is now lower than the national minimum wage in most states.

A livable wage in Louisville is estimated to be $15.39 per hour for a single adult with no children. This means that a worker earning $15.39 per hour would be able to afford a modest but comfortable lifestyle in Louisville.

The following table shows the current average minimum wage per year over the last 5 years in Louisville:

Year Average Minimum Wage
2018 $7.25
2019 $7.25
2020 $7.25
2021 $7.25
2022 $7.25

As you can see, the minimum wage in Louisville has not increased in the last 5 years. This is due to the fact that the federal minimum wage has not increased in the same period.

The following are some popular examples of hourly wage jobs in Louisville and their current respective wages:

Job Wage
Cashier $7.25 - $10.00 per hour
Retail Sales Associate $7.25 - $10.00 per hour
Food Service Worker $7.25 - $10.00 per hour
Warehouse Worker $7.25 - $12.00 per hour
Delivery Driver $7.25 - $12.00 per hour

The following are some of the lowest paying jobs in Louisville:

Job Wage
Janitor $7.25 - $9.00 per hour
Laundry Worker $7.25 - $9.00 per hour
Housekeeping Aide $

$15.39

What is the living wage in Louisville?

A livable wage in Louisville is estimated to be $15.39 per hour for a single adult with no children. This means that a worker earning $15.39 per hour would be able to afford a modest but comfortable lifestyle in Louisville. The minimum wage in Louisville has not increased since 2009 and is now lower than the national minimum wage in most states.

There are approximately 100,000 workers in Louisville who make minimum wage, representing about 10% of the city's workforce. Low-wage workers struggle to make ends meet on the current minimum wage, and many families are forced to live in poverty. There is a growing movement in Louisville to raise the minimum wage to a more livable level.

Wages aren’t everything!

While pay is one of the main factors that hourly employees consider when choosing to join (or stay at) a company, it’s not the end all be all. Research shows that advancement opportunities, supportive management, and schedule flexibility are all incredibly important as well.

Want to learn more about this trend? We dive deep into the data behind which perks and benefits matter most to hourly workers. Check out our full conversation with expert Sara Wasserteil of Cara Collective.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between gross wages and net wages?

It's important to remember that the Hourly Wage Index data above reflects gross wages, or the amount of money an employee earns before accounting for payroll deductions like taxes, benefits, or wage garnishments. Due to variability in tax rates across locations, slightly lower gross wages in a certain location might result in higher take home pay, or vice versa.

What is a good hourly wage?

This question is a difficult one to answer, as a "good hourly wage" is highly subjective according to experience, work responsibilities, cost of living, and other factors. We recommend using Hourly Wage Index data as a starting point. Once you have established a baseline for certain positions, do further research into similar businesses in your area.

Lastly, consider surveying your employees. They're the best resource to help you know what is a good hourly wage, what competitive pay looks like in your location, and how competitive wages change in your industry over time.

Offering competitive pay is one of my top priorities—what other resources do you have that might help?

We know that getting applicants to pay attention to your business can be extremely challenging, and that offering competitive pay is a huge part of that. Wages aren’t everything, however! Applicant experience is another important factor that can help set you apart from your competition. A few examples include:

Short, easy to understand job descriptions
Mobile-friendliness
Quick communication
Streamlined interview stages

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We're here to help!

A Workstream hiring specialist can help you identify high impact ways to improve your applicant experience, and even help you determine what is a good hourly wage for your location and business.