Locality Pay Rates – General Schedule (GS) Pay Table Adjustments

See this updated article for the latest GS Adjustments and Locality Pay Scale Tables.

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[2013 Locality Pay Rates Update] The president has signed an executive order that freezes GS pay rises in 2013. Unfortunately the executive order and existing continuing resolution also stated that, “…….. locality payments in 2013 for Government wide and single-agency categories of employees….will continue at the same rates that were in effect since [last year]”


[2012 Locality Pay Rates to Stay the Same as 2011] With no rise in the Federal General Schedule (GS) pay rates, may federal and state workers on the GS salary scale were hoping for some relief through locality pay changes. Unfortunately, the President declared that 2012 locality pay adjustments would remain at 2011 levels due to due serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare of our nation, “ …that requires tough choices and shared sacrifice.”  The absence of an increase in 2012 makes it two years since the last raise.

Locality pay is set by comparing the GS base and non-Federal pay in each locality pay area (as defined by the OMB), based on salary surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are currently 31 separate metropolitan locality pay areas and a catch-all “Rest of U.S.” locality pay area.  2012 (and 2011) locality pay adjustments are shown below:

Locality Pay AreaStateLocality Payment
AlaskaAK24.69%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-GainesvilleGA-AL19.29%
Boston-Worcester-ManchesterMA-NH-RI-ME24.80%
Buffalo-Niagara-CattaraugusNY16.98%
Chicago-Naperville-Michigan CityIL-IN-WI25.10%
Cincinnati-Middletown-WilmingtonOH-KY-IN18.55%
Cleveland-Akron-ElyriaOH18.68%
Columbus-Marion-ChillicotheOH17.16%
Dallas-Fort WorthTX20.67%
Dayton-Springfield-GreenvilleOH16.24%
Denver-Aurora-BoulderCO22.52%
Detroit-Warren-FlintMI24.09%
Hartford-West Hartford-WillimanticCT-MA25.82%
HawaiiHI16.51%
Houston-Baytown-HuntsvilleTX28.71%
Huntsville-DecaturAL16.02%
Indianapolis-Anderson-ColumbusIN14.68%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-RiversideCA27.16%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano BeachFL20.79%
Milwaukee-Racine-WaukeshaWI18.10%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-St. CloudMN-WI20.96%
New York-Newark-BridgeportNY-NJ-CT-PA28.72%
Philadelphia-Camden-VinelandPA-NJ-DE-MD21.79%
Phoenix-Mesa-ScottsdaleAZ16.76%
Pittsburgh-New CastlePA16.37%
Portland-Vancouver-BeavertonOR-WA20.35%
Raleigh-Durham-CaryNC17.64%
RichmondVA16.47%
Sacramento—Arden-Arcade—Yuba CityCA-NV22.20%
San Diego-Carlsbad-San MarcosCA24.19%
San Jose-San Francisco-OaklandCA35.15%
Seattle-Tacoma-OlympiaWA21.81%
Washington-Baltimore-Northern VirginiaDC-MD-VA-WV-PA24.22%
Rest of U.S. 14.16%

How to use the GS and Locality Pay table
: The locality pay is an adjustment to the GS pay scale, so to figure the pay rates in your area, multiply the relevant grade/step by the standard federal increase (0% in 2010) and then by the locality pay increase. So using the federal GS table below, a GS 9-Step 6 federal employee living in Richmond VA should be getting 16.47% above the base $48,488 salary, or $56,474. The 2011 GS Pay table – which also remain unchanged for 2012 – is shown below.
2011 Federal GS Pay table by Grade

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2 thoughts on “Locality Pay Rates – General Schedule (GS) Pay Table Adjustments”

  1. I am seeking employment at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. What Locality pay area is this considered? 27.16 percent? Los Angeles???????
    Thank you for your help.

    Reply

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