MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Mecklenburg County has approved a $5‑an‑hour increase to its minimum wage, raising the base pay for county workers from $20 to $25 an hour in what leaders describe as a step toward a livable wage.
New Mecklenburg County government employees are set to receive a $25.53 base pay. Commissioners approved the increase for the minimum wage for full-time county employees, and the measure went into effect on July 1, 2026. Commissioner Mark Jerrell said the change reflects the realities of a fast‑growing region with rising costs.
“We’re in a rapidly growing community,” he said. “You understand that cost of living is high and we want our county employees who support this community to be able to live in this community.”
The county first raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2019 for full‑time employees and has steadily increased it since. Jerrell emphasized that while the new rate is progress, it is not a finish line…