Walmart, the largest employer in the United States, employing about 1.5 million Americans, has been at the center of controversies over its low wages for years. In 2020, the average wage of an hourly worker in a Walmart store in the U.S. was $14.76, which comes to between $25,000 and $30,000 annually for a full-time employee.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed store facts from Walmart’s corporate site to identify how many people in each state work at Walmart as sales associates and how much they are paid.
The average wage of a Walmart field worker, which takes into account both full- and part-time workers, does not differ much from state to state. It varies from $13.42 an hour in Idaho to $16.02 an hour in New Hampshire. Compared to the state minimum wage and cost of living, however, employees in some states fare much better than others.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, and 19 states have not altered it. Fifteen states have set a minimum wage over $10.00 an hour.
The cost of living is higher than the national average in nine of the 15 states with the highest paying Walmart jobs. A dollar goes the furthest in America’s southern and midwestern states — here is the value of a dollar in every state.
Seven of the states where the cost of living is highest are among the 15 states with the highest minimum wage.
Click here to see how many people work at Walmart in each state, and what they are paid.
To identify how many people work at Walmart in every state and how much they are paid, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed store facts such as total Walmart locations in every state, number of full-time and part-time hourly field associates, as well as average wage from Walmart’s corporate site. The number of Walmart stores is as of Aug. 21, 2020 and the average wage is as of July 31, 2020.
Data on regional price parity — or cost of living — is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and is for 2018, the latest year available. Data on total population came from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and is for 2019. Data on working-age population 16 and over came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is as of September 2020.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/10542402@N06/
Alabama
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 3rd most (total: 144)
> Sales associates: 964 per 100,000 working-age adults — 5th most (total: 37,423
> Average hourly wage: $13.91 — 7th lowest
> State minimum wage: None
> Cost of living: 13.6% less than national average — 3rd lowest
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Source: Courtesy of Jeff A. via Yelp
Alaska
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 14th fewest (total: 9)
> Sales associates: 409 per 100,000 working-age adults — 13th fewest (total: 2,221
> Average hourly wage: $15.56 — 8th highest
> State minimum wage: $10.19 — 14th highest
> Cost of living: 4.8% more than national average — 10th highest
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Source: Courtesy of Sham K. via Yelp
Arizona
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 23rd fewest (total: 124)
> Sales associates: 563 per 100,000 working-age adults — 20th fewest (total: 32,981
> Average hourly wage: $14.61 — 20th highest
> State minimum wage: $12 — 4th highest
> Cost of living: 3.5% less than national average — 25th highest
Source: wellesenterprises / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Arkansas
> Walmart stores: 4 per 100,000 residents — the most (total: 130)
> Sales associates: 2,104 per 100,000 working-age adults — the most (total: 49,580
> Average hourly wage: $14.22 — 20th lowest
> State minimum wage: $10 — 16th highest
> Cost of living: 14.7% less than national average — the lowest
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California
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 3rd fewest (total: 310)
> Sales associates: 293 per 100,000 working-age adults — 6th fewest (total: 91,725
> Average hourly wage: $15.63 — 7th highest
> State minimum wage: $13 — 2nd highest
> Cost of living: 15.4% more than national average — 3rd highest
Source: RiverNorthPhotography / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Colorado
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 25th most (total: 106)
> Sales associates: 606 per 100,000 working-age adults — 25th fewest (total: 28,101
> Average hourly wage: $15.11 — 13th highest
> State minimum wage: $12 — 4th highest
> Cost of living: 1.9% more than national average — 13th highest
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Connecticut
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 8th fewest (total: 34)
> Sales associates: 281 per 100,000 working-age adults — 5th fewest (total: 8,106
> Average hourly wage: $13.87 — 6th lowest
> State minimum wage: $12 — 4th highest
> Cost of living: 6.1% more than national average — 8th highest
Delaware
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 11th fewest (total: 10)
> Sales associates: 544 per 100,000 working-age adults — 19th fewest (total: 4,291
> Average hourly wage: $15.69 — 6th highest
> State minimum wage: $9.25 — 22nd highest
> Cost of living: 1.2% less than national average — 18th highest
Source: Roman Tiraspolsky / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Florida
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 25th fewest (total: 384)
> Sales associates: 600 per 100,000 working-age adults — 23rd fewest (total: 106,375
> Average hourly wage: $14.09 — 15th lowest
> State minimum wage: $8.56 — 23rd lowest
> Cost of living: 0.6% more than national average — 15th highest
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Georgia
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 20th most (total: 214)
> Sales associates: 729 per 100,000 working-age adults — 16th most (total: 60,664
> Average hourly wage: $13.96 — 11th lowest
> State minimum wage: $5.15 — 8th lowest
> Cost of living: 7.0% less than national average — 24th lowest
Hawaii
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 5th fewest (total: 12)
> Sales associates: 342 per 100,000 working-age adults — 11th fewest (total: 3,724
> Average hourly wage: $15.74 — 5th highest
> State minimum wage: $10.1 — 15th highest
> Cost of living: 18.1% more than national average — the highest
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Source: hapabapa / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Idaho
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 20th fewest (total: 27)
> Sales associates: 584 per 100,000 working-age adults — 21st fewest (total: 8,230
> Average hourly wage: $13.42 — the lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 7.5% less than national average — 22nd lowest
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Illinois
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 17th fewest (total: 185)
> Sales associates: 532 per 100,000 working-age adults — 17th fewest (total: 53,113
> Average hourly wage: $14.39 — 24th lowest
> State minimum wage: $10 — 16th highest
> Cost of living: 1.9% less than national average — 19th highest
Indiana
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 22nd most (total: 127)
> Sales associates: 765 per 100,000 working-age adults — 12th most (total: 40,470
> Average hourly wage: $14.52 — 23rd highest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 10.7% less than national average — 12th lowest
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Source: Courtesy of Adam F. via Yelp
Iowa
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 16th most (total: 69)
> Sales associates: 654 per 100,000 working-age adults — 22nd most (total: 16,203
> Average hourly wage: $14.42 — 25th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 10.8% less than national average — 11th lowest
Kansas
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 5th most (total: 83)
> Sales associates: 873 per 100,000 working-age adults — 7th most (total: 19,538
> Average hourly wage: $14.00 — 13th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 10.0% less than national average — 15th lowest
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Kentucky
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 13th most (total: 102)
> Sales associates: 653 per 100,000 working-age adults — 23rd most (total: 22,872
> Average hourly wage: $14.18 — 19th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 12.2% less than national average — 5th lowest
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Source: Courtesy of Melody N. via Yelp
Louisiana
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 4th most (total: 137)
> Sales associates: 937 per 100,000 working-age adults — 6th most (total: 33,472
> Average hourly wage: $14.05 — 14th lowest
> State minimum wage: None
> Cost of living: 10.9% less than national average — 10th lowest
Source: Courtesy of Terry T. via Yelp
Maine
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 23rd most (total: 25)
> Sales associates: 601 per 100,000 working-age adults — 24th fewest (total: 6,721
> Average hourly wage: $15.38 — 10th highest
> State minimum wage: $12 — 4th highest
> Cost of living: Equal to national average
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Maryland
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 10th fewest (total: 60)
> Sales associates: 341 per 100,000 working-age adults — 10th fewest (total: 16,306
> Average hourly wage: $13.70 — 4th lowest
> State minimum wage: $11 — 10th highest
> Cost of living: 8.4% more than national average — 6th highest
Source: KenWiedemann / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Massachusetts
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 2nd fewest (total: 48)
> Sales associates: 208 per 100,000 working-age adults — 2nd fewest (total: 11,753
> Average hourly wage: $14.99 — 15th highest
> State minimum wage: $12.75 — 3rd highest
> Cost of living: 9.7% more than national average — 5th highest
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Source: RiverNorthPhotography / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Michigan
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 13th fewest (total: 117)
> Sales associates: 379 per 100,000 working-age adults — 12th fewest (total: 30,371
> Average hourly wage: $14.34 — 23rd lowest
> State minimum wage: $9.65 — 19th highest
> Cost of living: 7.6% less than national average — 21st lowest
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Source: WendellandCarolyn / Getty Images
Minnesota
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 16th fewest (total: 80)
> Sales associates: 471 per 100,000 working-age adults — 14th fewest (total: 21,032
> Average hourly wage: $15.12 — 12th highest
> State minimum wage: $10 — 16th highest
> Cost of living: 2.5% less than national average — 20th highest
Mississippi
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 6th most (total: 85)
> Sales associates: 1,021 per 100,000 working-age adults — 2nd most (total: 23,390
> Average hourly wage: $13.97 — 12th lowest
> State minimum wage: None
> Cost of living: 14.0% less than national average — 2nd lowest
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Missouri
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 7th most (total: 156)
> Sales associates: 837 per 100,000 working-age adults — 8th most (total: 40,502
> Average hourly wage: $13.94 — 9th lowest
> State minimum wage: $9.45 — 20th highest
> Cost of living: 11.2% less than national average — 9th lowest
Montana
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 19th fewest (total: 16)
> Sales associates: 536 per 100,000 working-age adults — 18th fewest (total: 4,615
> Average hourly wage: $14.54 — 22nd highest
> State minimum wage: $8.65 — 24th lowest
> Cost of living: 6.7% less than national average — 25th lowest
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Source: Andrei Stanescu / Getty Images
Nebraska
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 10th most (total: 47)
> Sales associates: 790 per 100,000 working-age adults — 10th most (total: 11,795
> Average hourly wage: $14.45 — 25th highest
> State minimum wage: $9 — 23rd highest
> Cost of living: 10.5% less than national average — 13th lowest
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Source: Andrei Stanescu / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Nevada
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 21st fewest (total: 50)
> Sales associates: 585 per 100,000 working-age adults — 22nd fewest (total: 14,532
> Average hourly wage: $14.63 — 19th highest
> State minimum wage: $8 — 22nd lowest
> Cost of living: 2.5% less than national average — 20th highest
Source: Courtesy of Walmart Corporate Media / corporate.walmart.com
New Hampshire
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 18th most (total: 28)
> Sales associates: 655 per 100,000 working-age adults — 21st most (total: 7,413
> Average hourly wage: $16.02 — the highest
> State minimum wage: None
> Cost of living: 6.0% more than national average — 9th highest
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Source: Courtesy of G O. via Yelp
New Jersey
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 4th fewest (total: 70)
> Sales associates: 313 per 100,000 working-age adults — 7th fewest (total: 22,190
> Average hourly wage: $14.66 — 18th highest
> State minimum wage: $11 — 10th highest
> Cost of living: 15.2% more than national average — 4th highest
Source: JannHuizenga / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
New Mexico
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 8th most (total: 53)
> Sales associates: 815 per 100,000 working-age adults — 9th most (total: 13,450
> Average hourly wage: $14.31 — 22nd lowest
> State minimum wage: $9 — 23rd highest
> Cost of living: 8.9% less than national average — 18th lowest
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New York
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — the fewest (total: 110)
> Sales associates: 222 per 100,000 working-age adults — 3rd fewest (total: 34,670
> Average hourly wage: $15.94 — 2nd highest
> State minimum wage: $11.8 — 9th highest
> Cost of living: 16.4% more than national average — 2nd highest
Source: J. Michael Jones / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
North Carolina
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 19th most (total: 214)
> Sales associates: 661 per 100,000 working-age adults — 20th most (total: 55,319
> Average hourly wage: $13.93 — 8th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 8.2% less than national average — 19th lowest
Source: Courtesy of MK L via Yelp
North Dakota
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 14th most (total: 17)
> Sales associates: 731 per 100,000 working-age adults — 15th most (total: 4,288
> Average hourly wage: $15.90 — 3rd highest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 9.4% less than national average — 16th lowest
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Source: Chris Hondros / Getty Images
Ohio
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 18th fewest (total: 172)
> Sales associates: 528 per 100,000 working-age adults — 16th fewest (total: 48,948
> Average hourly wage: $14.16 — 18th lowest
> State minimum wage: $8.7 — 25th lowest
> Cost of living: 11.6% less than national average — 8th lowest
Source: Courtesy of Walmart Corporate Media / corporate.walmart.com
Oklahoma
> Walmart stores: 3 per 100,000 residents — 2nd most (total: 135)
> Sales associates: 1,000 per 100,000 working-age adults — 3rd most (total: 30,528
> Average hourly wage: $13.77 — 5th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 11.6% less than national average — 8th lowest
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Source: hapabapa / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Oregon
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 12th fewest (total: 45)
> Sales associates: 331 per 100,000 working-age adults — 9th fewest (total: 11,440
> Average hourly wage: $15.40 — 9th highest
> State minimum wage: $12 — 4th highest
> Cost of living: 1.1% more than national average — 14th highest
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Source: bgwalker / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 15th fewest (total: 160)
> Sales associates: 507 per 100,000 working-age adults — 15th fewest (total: 52,244
> Average hourly wage: $14.60 — 21st highest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 2.5% less than national average — 20th highest
Rhode Island
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 6th fewest (total: 9)
> Sales associates: 269 per 100,000 working-age adults — 4th fewest (total: 2,329
> Average hourly wage: $15.09 — 14th highest
> State minimum wage: $10.5 — 13th highest
> Cost of living: 0.7% less than national average — 17th highest
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Source: Courtesy of Walmart Corporate Media / corporate.walmart.com
South Carolina
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 12th most (total: 123)
> Sales associates: 790 per 100,000 working-age adults — 11th most (total: 32,682
> Average hourly wage: $13.66 — 3rd lowest
> State minimum wage: None
> Cost of living: 8.9% less than national average — 18th lowest
Source: Courtesy of Walmart Corporate Media / corporate.walmart.com
South Dakota
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 21st most (total: 17)
> Sales associates: 700 per 100,000 working-age adults — 19th most (total: 4,761
> Average hourly wage: $14.74 — 17th highest
> State minimum wage: $9.3 — 21st highest
> Cost of living: 12.1% less than national average — 6th lowest
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Source: TennesseePhotographer / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Tennessee
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 15th most (total: 151)
> Sales associates: 711 per 100,000 working-age adults — 17th most (total: 38,747
> Average hourly wage: $13.96 — 11th lowest
> State minimum wage: None
> Cost of living: 10.1% less than national average — 14th lowest
Source: artran / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Texas
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 17th most (total: 593)
> Sales associates: 709 per 100,000 working-age adults — 18th most (total: 158,545
> Average hourly wage: $14.10 — 17th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 3.2% less than national average — 23rd highest
Source: Solidago / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Utah
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 24th most (total: 59)
> Sales associates: 741 per 100,000 working-age adults — 14th most (total: 17,913
> Average hourly wage: $14.94 — 16th highest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 3.4% less than national average — 24th highest
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Source: AlbertHerring / Wikimedia Commons
Vermont
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 9th fewest (total: 6)
> Sales associates: 198 per 100,000 working-age adults — the fewest (total: 1,029
> Average hourly wage: $14.48 — 24th highest
> State minimum wage: $10.96 — 12th highest
> Cost of living: 3.0% more than national average — 11th highest
Virginia
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 24th fewest (total: 149)
> Sales associates: 636 per 100,000 working-age adults — 25th most (total: 42,711
> Average hourly wage: $14.10 — 17th lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 2.0% more than national average — 12th highest
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Washington
> Walmart stores: 1 per 100,000 residents — 7th fewest (total: 66)
> Sales associates: 323 per 100,000 working-age adults — 8th fewest (total: 19,758
> Average hourly wage: $15.86 — 4th highest
> State minimum wage: $13.5 — the highest
> Cost of living: 7.8% more than national average — 7th highest
West Virginia
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 9th most (total: 44)
> Sales associates: 759 per 100,000 working-age adults — 13th most (total: 10,921
> Average hourly wage: $13.59 — 2nd lowest
> State minimum wage: $8.75 — 25th highest
> Cost of living: 12.2% less than national average — 5th lowest
Source: RiverNorthPhotography / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Wisconsin
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 22nd fewest (total: 99)
> Sales associates: 639 per 100,000 working-age adults — 24th most (total: 29,776
> Average hourly wage: $14.30 — 21st lowest
> State minimum wage: $7.25 — 21st lowest
> Cost of living: 8.1% less than national average — 20th lowest
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Source: Courtesy of Mary Lou R. via Yelp
Wyoming
> Walmart stores: 2 per 100,000 residents — 11th most (total: 14)
> Sales associates: 989 per 100,000 working-age adults — 4th most (total: 4,476
> Average hourly wage: $15.20 — 11th highest
> State minimum wage: $5.15 — 8th lowest
> Cost of living: 7.3% less than national average — 23rd lowest
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