DeKalb County boosts minimum wage to $19 per hour

Thousands of DeKalb County government workers are seeing a significant boost in their earnings this week. As part of the Fiscal Year 2026 annual budget, the county’s minimum wage has officially increased from $17.68 to $19.00 per hour, marking one of the highest pay floors for public employees in the metro Atlanta area. The adjustment was designed to appear in employee paychecks dated May 1, 2026. County leaders are scheduled to hold a press conference to discuss the fiscal impact and the broader strategy behind the raise.