Minimum wage increases in Oregon will be implemented in tiers contingent on population density, based on the cost of living in urban areas vs. rural areas. The increase for Portland, Oregon’s largest city, will be the largest, rising to $14.75 by 2022. Mid-sized counties will increase to $13.50 over six years, while rural areas will see their wages boosted to $12.50. This tiered approach is expected to address concerns that rural areas may not be able to endure a decrease in jobs if labor costs increase. A 2014 Congressional Budget Office study estimated that while an increase in federal minimum wages from $7.25 to $10.10 would take a million workers over the poverty level, it would also result in a loss of 500,000 jobs nationwide, likely in areas with poor economies.
See "Oregon's Smart Approach to a Minimum Wage", Bourree Lam, The Atlantic, February 24, 2016