- The Santa Fe County (unincorporated areas) living wage minimum wage is $15.40 an hour (all employers holding a county business license, county contractors, county...), effective .
- At $15.40 an hour, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks is $32,032 before taxes.
- That is $3.40 above the New Mexico state rate of $12.00 and $8.15 above the federal $7.25.
- 2 tiers apply: all employers holding a county business license, county contractors, county... $15.40; tipped employees (base cash wage) $4.62.
- The next change is : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
- Coverage: Businesses in unincorporated Santa Fe County only (excludes the City of Santa Fe, Espanola and Edgewood), county contractors and economic-development project participants.
Calculate weekly and annual pay at $15.40
Rates and tiers
| Tier | Rate | Since |
|---|---|---|
| all employers holding a county business license, county contractors, county... | $15.40 | |
| tipped employees (base cash wage) | $4.62 |
Indexing
Yes
CPI-W, Western Region adjusts 03-01 announced Santa Fe County
Tipped
$4.62
Tipped employees may be paid a $4.62 base (2026) provided tips bring them to $15.40; per Ordinance 2014-5 the tipped base is indexed alongside the living wage.
Ordinance
Santa Fe County Ordinance 2014-1 (Living Wage Ordinance) as amended by Ordinance 2014-5
Scheduled increases
March 1, 20271 jurisdiction
CountyTBA
Santa Fe County (unincorporated areas) living wage, NMall employers · indexed-unannounced · Annual CPI-W West adjustment.
TBAindexed, amount to be announced
2025: $15.00 / $4.50 tipped. County rate tracks the City of Santa Fe rate. New Mexico state minimum wage $12.00 (tipped $3.00) since 2023-01-01; state rate prevails where a local rate is lower.
Common questions
What is the Santa Fe County (unincorporated areas) living wage minimum wage?
$15.40 an hour for all employers holding a county business license, county contractors, county..., effective March 1, 2026.
Is the Santa Fe County (unincorporated areas) living wage minimum wage higher than the New Mexico state minimum wage?
Yes, by $3.40: $15.40 versus $12.00.
When does the Santa Fe County (unincorporated areas) living wage minimum wage change next?
On March 1, 2027, by an indexed amount to be announced.
Sources
- https://www.santafecountynm.gov/livingwage official
- https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/
Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.92.