How Locality Pay Affects GS Pay Scale 2025

The GS pay scale 2025 includes locality pay adjustments, which increase salaries for federal employees in high-cost areas. For example, workers in Washington, D.C. receive a 33.94% locality pay boost, significantly higher than the standard base rate. Locality pay is designed to balance cost-of-living differences, ensuring that federal workers in expensive cities earn competitive wages. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sets locality rates based on geographic regions, meaning salaries will vary depending on location. Employees should check the OPM’s salary tables to understand how locality pay affects their GS salary increase 2025.