Federal
2026 Locality Pay Explained: What the DMV Rate Actually Means for a GS-9
The Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality rate is 33.94% in 2026. For a GS-9 Step 1, that pushes gross pay to $70,623 — about $8,900 more than the same job in a Rest-of-US area. Most of that premium gets absorbed by rent, taxes, and commute costs before it reaches your checking account.
