The top U.S. states for workers in 2026, according to Oxfam report

Key Points:

• Oxfam's 2026 Best States to Work Index ranks California, Washington, D.C., and New York as the top states for worker protections, citing their high minimum wages and robust worker-friendly policies such as paid family leave.
• The index evaluates states based on minimum wage relative to cost of living (35%), worker protections like equal pay and anti-discrimination policies (35%), and rights to organize, including union protections (30%).
• New to this year’s evaluation is caregiver protection, addressing discrimination against workers balancing caregiving duties, with states like Maine and Minnesota leading in such policies.
• The top 10 states feature minimum wages well above the federal minimum of $7.25, with California topping the list at $16.90 per hour and an overall score of 80.23.
• Oxfam highlights the significant disparities in worker protections across states, linking stronger labor policies to better quality of life indicators such as lower poverty rates and higher GDP per capita, and supports raising the federal minimum wage to improve conditions nationwide.