58 locality pay areasPage last changed 2026-10-22
GS pay scale 2026: locality pay compared by what it buys
In 2026 the General Schedule pays $22,584 to $164,301 in base pay across 15 grades and 10 steps, and with locality pay $26,437 to $197,200, the statutory ceiling. The biggest paycheck is not the one that buys the most. San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pays most; of the 57 areas with a price index, Laredo, TX goes furthest once local prices are counted. The 2026 rates were set by Executive Order 14368: base pay rose 1.0% and every area kept its 2025 locality percentage.
The highest-paying area is not the one where the pay buys the most
At GS-12 step 5 the biggest paycheck in the General Schedule is written in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. Of the 57 areas with a price index, the salary goes furthest in Laredo, TX, and the gap between them is $6,328 a year.
Biggest paycheck, and what it buys
$114,847San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pays $126,817, the most in the country. Prices in its principal city’s metro area, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, stand at 110.4 against a national average of 100, which is what the salary comes down to.Goes furthest, and what it pays
$121,175Laredo, TX pays $105,369 — $21,448 less on paper, and $6,328 more once prices are counted.Rest of U.S., every county outside the named areas, spread across 43 of the 50 states, has no price index of its own and is left out of the comparison; what its rate buys in the metro areas of the states with no named area is in the article on where GS pay goes furthest.
Locality pay is calculated from what non-federal employers in the same region pay for comparable work. It is not a cost-of-living adjustment: the two are related, but not the same thing, and the gap between them is large enough to turn the ranking upside down.
That is what the ranked table further down measures, and it is the comparison the official tables do not make. The pay and the locality percentage come from OPM’s tables and the price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis; the rank and what the salary buys are this site’s arithmetic on them.
What does your grade and step pay?
GS-12, step 5 in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PAWashington, DC
$116,071
Of the 57 areas with a published price level: #5 on the payslip, #33 once local prices are counted.
Starting your first federal job? A first appointment is set at step 1 of the grade unless the agency uses the superior qualifications authority (5 U.S.C. 5333; 5 CFR 531.212). The step above defaults to 5, the middle of the grade, because that is the cell this site ranks every area by.
Gross pay from the published federal tables. Not take-home: deductions depend on choices this page does not ask about.
All 58 locality pay areas, ranked by what the salary buys
Dollar figures are a GS-12, step 5 — the middle of the schedule, used here so that every area is compared on the same cell. Change the grade in the calculator above and the table follows. Click any column heading to sort by it.
| 1 | Laredo, TXLaredo, TX | 21.59% | $105,369 | 87.0 | $121,175 | +30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Houston, TXHouston-The Woodlands, TX | 35.00% | $116,990 | 98.6 | $118,616 | +2 |
| 3 | Davenport, IADavenport-Moline, IA-IL | 18.93% | $103,064 | 89.1 | $115,700 | +41 |
| 4 | San Jose, CASan Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 46.34% | $126,817 | 110.4 | $114,847 | −3 |
| 5 | Dayton, OHDayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | 21.42% | $105,221 | 92.7 | $113,514 | +27 |
| 6 | Huntsville, ALHuntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | 21.91% | $105,646 | 93.1 | $113,510 | +24 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OHCleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | 22.23% | $105,923 | 93.9 | $112,776 | +19 |
| 8 | AlaskaState of Alaska | 32.36% | $114,702 | 102.4 | $112,059 | — |
| 9 | Birmingham, ALBirmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | 18.24% | $102,466 | 91.6 | $111,809 | +39 |
| 10 | Detroit, MIDetroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | 29.12% | $111,894 | 100.3 | $111,562 | +4 |
| 11 | Des Moines, IADes Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | 18.01% | $102,266 | 91.7 | $111,521 | +40 |
| 12 | Omaha, NEOmaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | 18.23% | $102,457 | 91.9 | $111,474 | +37 |
| 13 | Kansas City, MOKansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | 18.97% | $103,098 | 92.5 | $111,406 | +30 |
| 14 | Hartford, CTHartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | 32.08% | $114,459 | 102.7 | $111,400 | −5 |
| 15 | Columbus, OHColumbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | 22.15% | $105,854 | 95.5 | $110,878 | +13 |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OHCincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | 21.93% | $105,663 | 95.4 | $110,793 | +13 |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PAPittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | 21.03% | $104,883 | 94.7 | $110,787 | +16 |
| 18 | Buffalo, NYBuffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | 22.41% | $106,079 | 95.8 | $110,679 | +5 |
| 19 | Corpus Christi, TXCorpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | 17.63% | $101,937 | 92.7 | $109,999 | +37 |
| 20 | Chicago, ILChicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | 30.86% | $113,402 | 103.6 | $109,467 | −9 |
| 21 | Milwaukee, WIMilwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | 22.42% | $106,088 | 96.9 | $109,440 | +1 |
| 22 | St. Louis, MOSt. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | 20.03% | $104,017 | 95.1 | $109,390 | +15 |
| 23 | Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 28.99% | $111,781 | 102.6 | $108,997 | −8 |
| 24 | San Antonio, TXSan Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | 18.78% | $102,934 | 94.7 | $108,676 | +22 |
| 25 | Richmond, VARichmond, VA | 22.28% | $105,967 | 97.9 | $108,286 | −1 |
| 26 | Raleigh, NCRaleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | 22.24% | $105,932 | 98.2 | $107,921 | −1 |
| 27 | Albuquerque, NMAlbuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | 18.33% | $102,544 | 95.5 | $107,324 | +20 |
| 28 | Atlanta, GAAtlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL | 23.79% | $107,275 | 100.1 | $107,213 | −8 |
| 29 | Indianapolis, INIndianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | 18.15% | $102,388 | 95.7 | $106,993 | +21 |
| 30 | Dallas, TXDallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | 27.26% | $110,282 | 103.1 | $106,976 | −13 |
| 31 | Denver, CODenver-Aurora, CO | 30.52% | $113,107 | 105.8 | $106,925 | −19 |
| 32 | Tucson, AZTucson-Nogales, AZ | 19.28% | $103,367 | 96.9 | $106,678 | +10 |
| 33 | Washington, DCWashington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | 33.94% | $116,071 | 108.9 | $106,601 | −28 |
| 34 | Charlotte, NCCharlotte-Concord, NC-SC | 19.67% | $103,705 | 97.3 | $106,530 | +4 |
| 35 | Austin, TXAustin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | 20.35% | $104,294 | 98.1 | $106,351 | — |
| 36 | New York, NYNew York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | 37.95% | $119,546 | 112.6 | $106,204 | −34 |
| 37 | Boston, MABoston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | 32.58% | $114,893 | 108.3 | $106,121 | −30 |
| 38 | Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | 27.62% | $110,594 | 104.8 | $105,506 | −22 |
| 39 | Sacramento, CASacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | 29.76% | $112,449 | 106.7 | $105,418 | −26 |
| 40 | Rochester, NYRochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | 17.88% | $102,154 | 97.0 | $105,275 | +13 |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | 18.80% | $102,951 | 97.9 | $105,115 | +4 |
| 42 | Albany, NYAlbany-Schenectady, NY-MA | 20.77% | $104,658 | 99.6 | $105,114 | −8 |
| 43 | Harrisburg, PAHarrisburg-Lebanon, PA | 19.43% | $103,497 | 98.7 | $104,913 | −2 |
| 44 | Los Angeles, CALos Angeles-Long Beach, CA | 36.47% | $118,264 | 113.6 | $104,137 | −41 |
| 45 | Portland, ORPortland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | 26.13% | $109,303 | 105.4 | $103,682 | −27 |
| 46 | San Diego, CASan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 33.72% | $115,880 | 111.9 | $103,569 | −40 |
| 47 | Las Vegas, NVLas Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | 19.57% | $103,618 | 100.2 | $103,396 | −8 |
| 48 | Colorado Springs, COColorado Springs, CO | 20.15% | $104,121 | 100.7 | $103,390 | −12 |
| 49 | Phoenix, AZPhoenix-Mesa, AZ | 22.45% | $106,114 | 103.3 | $102,708 | −28 |
| 50 | Seattle, WASeattle-Tacoma, WA | 31.57% | $114,017 | 111.1 | $102,595 | −40 |
| 51 | Burlington, VTBurlington-South Burlington-Barre, VT | 19.45% | $103,514 | 100.9 | $102,541 | −11 |
| 52 | Palm Bay, FLPalm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 17.93% | $102,197 | 100.0 | $102,192 | — |
| 53 | Spokane, WASpokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | 17.67% | $101,972 | 100.3 | $101,620 | +1 |
| 54 | Reno, NVReno-Fernley, NV | 17.52% | $101,842 | 101.0 | $100,820 | +3 |
| 55 | Fresno, CAFresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | 17.65% | $101,954 | 102.2 | $99,800 | — |
| 56 | HawaiiState of Hawaii | 22.21% | $105,906 | 110.0 | $96,321 | −29 |
| 57 | Miami, FLMiami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | 24.67% | $108,038 | 114.2 | $94,641 | −38 |
| — | Rest of U.S.Rest of U.S. | 17.06% | $101,443 | — | — | — |
Reading this table
Sorted by purchasing power. The price column is the BEA Regional Price Parity for 2024, where 100 is the national average — below 100 is cheaper.Rank shift: how many places the area moves when you stop ranking by the paycheck and start ranking by what it buys. The first column is that same purchasing-power rank, so it stays with its area when you sort by something else.
What the data shows
Four articles on this site’s own data.
- Where GS pay goes furthest: the ten biggest paychecks against the ten salaries that buy the most, and why they are different areas.
- Ten years of locality pay: 58 areas, eleven years of OPM tables: who gained and who stalled.
- How far pay is from the 1990 law’s formula: what the Federal Salary Council’s nine estimates say the 1990 formula would pay, against what is paid.
- Where the federal jobs are: where federal civilian jobs are and where they fell, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The 2026 General Schedule pay table, from OPM
| Grade | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | 22,584 | 23,341 | 24,092 | 24,840 | 25,589 | 26,028 | 26,771 | 27,519 | 27,550 | 28,248 |
| GS-2 | 25,393 | 25,997 | 26,839 | 27,550 | 27,858 | 28,677 | 29,496 | 30,315 | 31,134 | 31,953 |
| GS-3 | 27,708 | 28,632 | 29,556 | 30,480 | 31,404 | 32,328 | 33,252 | 34,176 | 35,100 | 36,024 |
| GS-4 | 31,103 | 32,140 | 33,177 | 34,214 | 35,251 | 36,288 | 37,325 | 38,362 | 39,399 | 40,436 |
| GS-5 | 34,799 | 35,959 | 37,119 | 38,279 | 39,439 | 40,599 | 41,759 | 42,919 | 44,079 | 45,239 |
| GS-6 | 38,791 | 40,084 | 41,377 | 42,670 | 43,963 | 45,256 | 46,549 | 47,842 | 49,135 | 50,428 |
| GS-7 | 43,106 | 44,543 | 45,980 | 47,417 | 48,854 | 50,291 | 51,728 | 53,165 | 54,602 | 56,039 |
| GS-8 | 47,738 | 49,329 | 50,920 | 52,511 | 54,102 | 55,693 | 57,284 | 58,875 | 60,466 | 62,057 |
| GS-9 | 52,727 | 54,485 | 56,243 | 58,001 | 59,759 | 61,517 | 63,275 | 65,033 | 66,791 | 68,549 |
| GS-10 | 58,064 | 59,999 | 61,934 | 63,869 | 65,804 | 67,739 | 69,674 | 71,609 | 73,544 | 75,479 |
| GS-11 | 63,795 | 65,922 | 68,049 | 70,176 | 72,303 | 74,430 | 76,557 | 78,684 | 80,811 | 82,938 |
| GS-12 | 76,463 | 79,012 | 81,561 | 84,110 | 86,659 | 89,208 | 91,757 | 94,306 | 96,855 | 99,404 |
| GS-13 | 90,925 | 93,956 | 96,987 | 100,018 | 103,049 | 106,080 | 109,111 | 112,142 | 115,173 | 118,204 |
| GS-14 | 107,446 | 111,028 | 114,610 | 118,192 | 121,774 | 125,356 | 128,938 | 132,520 | 136,102 | 139,684 |
| GS-15 | 126,384 | 130,597 | 134,810 | 139,023 | 143,236 | 147,449 | 151,662 | 155,875 | 160,088 | 164,301 |
Official tables: OPM, 2026 General Schedule pay tables for every area; this one is Salary Table 2026-GS. A rate with locality pay is the base rate plus the area’s percentage, rounded to the dollar and held to the $197,200 ceiling (the order the law sets); all 8,700 match OPM’s tables to the dollar.
For 2027, President Donald J. Trump's alternative pay plan letter of 26 August 2026 sets out 0% for base pay and 0% for locality pay in 2027; it is not final until the executive order, due 18 to 31 December 2026, the window of the last seven orders (11 of 18 steps of the decision are done on the 2027 pay raise tracker).
Or start from a grade
Each grade page shows that grade in every area at once, with who is on it and what a promotion from it is worth. Figures below are base rates, before any locality adjustment.
The list of GS grades explains what each level means and sets all fifteen side by side. Law enforcement officers at grades 3 to 10 are paid from a higher base table instead, the GL pay scale. There is also a comparison tool that sets any two areas side by side, a promotion calculator that works out the step a promotion lands you on, a step increase calculator that dates your next step, and a full calculator that will find your area from a ZIP code.
Or start from a state
A state is not a pay area, but it is where most people start. The states page sets all 51 side by side, and its section for each names the locality pay areas that cover the state, what each pays and buys, and which of its counties are in which area.
Where these numbers come from
Every rate on this site was recomputed from the published base table and the locality percentage, then checked against the official OPM figure. All 8,700 cells match to the dollar.
Salary tables and locality percentages: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 General Schedule salary tables. Locality pay area definitions: OPM, 2026. Price levels: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, 2024, shown to one decimal place though computed from the published three. ZIP-code-to-county relationships: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA file. All are works of the United States government and in the public domain; how they are put together is on the methodology page, and who publishes this site is on the about page.
The order of operations matters and is fixed by law: the percentage is applied to the base rate, the result is rounded, and only then is it checked against the statutory ceiling. Doing those steps in a different order changes the answer at the top of the schedule, which is one reason published figures sometimes disagree between reference sites. How locality pay works sets out the rules in full.