Living wage is a wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of living. Many people are not able to survive on minimum wage.
State Minimum Wages
Only 29 states and D.C. have a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage. Research shows that there are three main reasons some states have decided to create their own minimum wage.
A Brief History
The formation of minimum wage legislation began to take root by the end of the nineteenth-century when sweatshops had been employing droves of women and child workers. Industries payed them so little they were unable to afford the necessaries of life.
Minimum Wage -Policy brief 