2026 GS Pay: Houston-The Woodlands, TX
The Houston-The Woodlands, TX locality pay area adds 35.00% locality pay to the GS base table. Figures are from OPM's Salary Table 2026-HOU, effective January 2026.
- Locality pay
- 35.00%
- Annual pay range
- $30,488 to $197,200
- GS-1 step 1 to GS-15 step 10
- Capped cells
- 5 of 150
Annual pay by grade and step
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $30,488 | $31,510 | $32,524 | $33,534 | $34,545 | $35,138 | $36,141 | $37,151 | $37,193 | $38,135 |
| GS-2 | $34,281 | $35,096 | $36,233 | $37,193 | $37,608 | $38,714 | $39,820 | $40,925 | $42,031 | $43,137 |
| GS-3 | $37,406 | $38,653 | $39,901 | $41,148 | $42,395 | $43,643 | $44,890 | $46,138 | $47,385 | $48,632 |
| GS-4 | $41,989 | $43,389 | $44,789 | $46,189 | $47,589 | $48,989 | $50,389 | $51,789 | $53,189 | $54,589 |
| GS-5 | $46,979 | $48,545 | $50,111 | $51,677 | $53,243 | $54,809 | $56,375 | $57,941 | $59,507 | $61,073 |
| GS-6 | $52,368 | $54,113 | $55,859 | $57,605 | $59,350 | $61,096 | $62,841 | $64,587 | $66,332 | $68,078 |
| GS-7 | $58,193 | $60,133 | $62,073 | $64,013 | $65,953 | $67,893 | $69,833 | $71,773 | $73,713 | $75,653 |
| GS-8 | $64,446 | $66,594 | $68,742 | $70,890 | $73,038 | $75,186 | $77,333 | $79,481 | $81,629 | $83,777 |
| GS-9 | $71,181 | $73,555 | $75,928 | $78,301 | $80,675 | $83,048 | $85,421 | $87,795 | $90,168 | $92,541 |
| GS-10 | $78,386 | $80,999 | $83,611 | $86,223 | $88,835 | $91,448 | $94,060 | $96,672 | $99,284 | $101,897 |
| GS-11 | $86,123 | $88,995 | $91,866 | $94,738 | $97,609 | $100,481 | $103,352 | $106,223 | $109,095 | $111,966 |
| GS-12 | $103,225 | $106,666 | $110,107 | $113,549 | $116,990 | $120,431 | $123,872 | $127,313 | $130,754 | $134,195 |
| GS-13 | $122,749 | $126,841 | $130,932 | $135,024 | $139,116 | $143,208 | $147,300 | $151,392 | $155,484 | $159,575 |
| GS-14 | $145,052 | $149,888 | $154,724 | $159,559 | $164,395 | $169,231 | $174,066 | $178,902 | $183,738 | $188,573 |
| GS-15 | $170,618 | $176,306 | $181,994 | $187,681 | $193,369 | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped | $197,200Capped |
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | $14.61 | $15.10 | $15.58 | $16.07 | $16.55 | $16.84 | $17.32 | $17.80 | $17.82 | $18.27 |
| GS-2 | $16.43 | $16.82 | $17.36 | $17.82 | $18.02 | $18.55 | $19.08 | $19.61 | $20.14 | $20.67 |
| GS-3 | $17.92 | $18.52 | $19.12 | $19.72 | $20.31 | $20.91 | $21.51 | $22.11 | $22.70 | $23.30 |
| GS-4 | $20.12 | $20.79 | $21.46 | $22.13 | $22.80 | $23.47 | $24.14 | $24.82 | $25.49 | $26.16 |
| GS-5 | $22.51 | $23.26 | $24.01 | $24.76 | $25.51 | $26.26 | $27.01 | $27.76 | $28.51 | $29.26 |
| GS-6 | $25.09 | $25.93 | $26.77 | $27.60 | $28.44 | $29.27 | $30.11 | $30.95 | $31.78 | $32.62 |
| GS-7 | $27.88 | $28.81 | $29.74 | $30.67 | $31.60 | $32.53 | $33.46 | $34.39 | $35.32 | $36.25 |
| GS-8 | $30.88 | $31.91 | $32.94 | $33.97 | $35.00 | $36.03 | $37.05 | $38.08 | $39.11 | $40.14 |
| GS-9 | $34.11 | $35.24 | $36.38 | $37.52 | $38.66 | $39.79 | $40.93 | $42.07 | $43.20 | $44.34 |
| GS-10 | $37.56 | $38.81 | $40.06 | $41.31 | $42.57 | $43.82 | $45.07 | $46.32 | $47.57 | $48.82 |
| GS-11 | $41.27 | $42.64 | $44.02 | $45.39 | $46.77 | $48.15 | $49.52 | $50.90 | $52.27 | $53.65 |
| GS-12 | $49.46 | $51.11 | $52.76 | $54.41 | $56.06 | $57.71 | $59.35 | $61.00 | $62.65 | $64.30 |
| GS-13 | $58.82 | $60.78 | $62.74 | $64.70 | $66.66 | $68.62 | $70.58 | $72.54 | $74.50 | $76.46 |
| GS-14 | $69.50 | $71.82 | $74.14 | $76.45 | $78.77 | $81.09 | $83.40 | $85.72 | $88.04 | $90.36 |
| GS-15 | $81.75 | $84.48 | $87.20 | $89.93 | $92.65 | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped | $94.49Capped |
Compare Houston-The Woodlands, TX with other locality pay areas
Where this locality pay area is
OPM's 2026 definitions list 19 places in this area, in TX. The legal definition is in 5 CFR 531.603.
| Place | State | FIPS code |
|---|---|---|
| Austin County, TX | TX | 48015 |
| Brazoria County, TX | TX | 48039 |
| Chambers County, TX | TX | 48071 |
| Colorado County, TX | TX | 48089 |
| Fort Bend County, TX | TX | 48157 |
| Galveston County, TX | TX | 48167 |
| Grimes County, TX | TX | 48185 |
| Harris County, TX | TX | 48201 |
| Jackson County, TX | TX | 48239 |
| Liberty County, TX | TX | 48291 |
| Madison County, TX | TX | 48313 |
| Matagorda County, TX | TX | 48321 |
| Montgomery County, TX | TX | 48339 |
| San Jacinto County, TX | TX | 48407 |
| Trinity County, TX | TX | 48455 |
| Walker County, TX | TX | 48471 |
| Waller County, TX | TX | 48473 |
| Washington County, TX | TX | 48477 |
| Wharton County, TX | TX | 48481 |
Changes from 2025
Locality pay was 35.00% in 2025 and is 35.00% in 2026 (0.00 points). The base table went up 1% for 2026.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-1 | +$302+1.0% | +$311+1.0% | +$322+1.0% | +$332+1.0% | +$341+1.0% | +$348+1.0% | +$358+1.0% | +$368+1.0% | +$369+1.0% | +$375+1.0% |
| GS-2 | +$339+1.0% | +$347+1.0% | +$359+1.0% | +$369+1.0% | +$371+1.0% | +$382+1.0% | +$393+1.0% | +$403+1.0% | +$415+1.0% | +$426+1.0% |
| GS-3 | +$370+1.0% | +$383+1.0% | +$397+1.0% | +$410+1.0% | +$423+1.0% | +$438+1.0% | +$451+1.0% | +$465+1.0% | +$478+1.0% | +$491+1.0% |
| GS-4 | +$416+1.0% | +$429+1.0% | +$443+1.0% | +$456+1.0% | +$470+1.0% | +$483+1.0% | +$497+1.0% | +$511+1.0% | +$524+1.0% | +$538+1.0% |
| GS-5 | +$466+1.0% | +$482+1.0% | +$498+1.0% | +$515+1.0% | +$531+1.0% | +$547+1.0% | +$563+1.0% | +$579+1.0% | +$596+1.0% | +$612+1.0% |
| GS-6 | +$519+1.0% | +$536+1.0% | +$554+1.0% | +$572+1.0% | +$589+1.0% | +$607+1.0% | +$624+1.0% | +$642+1.0% | +$659+1.0% | +$677+1.0% |
| GS-7 | +$576+1.0% | +$595+1.0% | +$614+1.0% | +$633+1.0% | +$652+1.0% | +$671+1.0% | +$690+1.0% | +$709+1.0% | +$728+1.0% | +$747+1.0% |
| GS-8 | +$638+1.0% | +$659+1.0% | +$679+1.0% | +$699+1.0% | +$720+1.0% | +$740+1.0% | +$760+1.0% | +$780+1.0% | +$800+1.0% | +$821+1.0% |
| GS-9 | +$704+1.0% | +$729+1.0% | +$753+1.0% | +$777+1.0% | +$802+1.0% | +$826+1.0% | +$850+1.0% | +$875+1.0% | +$899+1.0% | +$923+1.0% |
| GS-10 | +$776+1.0% | +$802+1.0% | +$828+1.0% | +$853+1.0% | +$878+1.0% | +$905+1.0% | +$930+1.0% | +$956+1.0% | +$981+1.0% | +$1,007+1.0% |
| GS-11 | +$853+1.0% | +$883+1.0% | +$912+1.0% | +$943+1.0% | +$972+1.0% | +$1,002+1.0% | +$1,031+1.0% | +$1,061+1.0% | +$1,091+1.0% | +$1,120+1.0% |
| GS-12 | +$1,022+1.0% | +$1,055+1.0% | +$1,089+1.0% | +$1,124+1.0% | +$1,157+1.0% | +$1,191+1.0% | +$1,224+1.0% | +$1,258+1.0% | +$1,292+1.0% | +$1,325+1.0% |
| GS-13 | +$1,215+1.0% | +$1,256+1.0% | +$1,296+1.0% | +$1,336+1.0% | +$1,377+1.0% | +$1,417+1.0% | +$1,458+1.0% | +$1,499+1.0% | +$1,539+1.0% | +$1,579+1.0% |
| GS-14 | +$1,436+1.0% | +$1,485+1.0% | +$1,534+1.0% | +$1,582+1.0% | +$1,631+1.0% | +$1,680+1.0% | +$1,728+1.0% | +$1,777+1.0% | +$1,825+1.0% | +$1,873+1.0% |
| GS-15 | +$1,688+1.0% | +$1,746+1.0% | +$1,803+1.0% | +$1,859+1.0% | +$1,916+1.0% | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change | +$2,000+1.0%, Cap change |
Places in the area
The places in this area are the same as in 2025.
Data sources
- GS locality pay table, Salary Table 2026-HOU, effective January 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2026 General Schedule tables, HOU.xml. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
- Pay cap (level IV of the Executive Schedule), Salary Table No. 2026-EX, effective January 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): EX.xml. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
- GS locality pay table, Salary Table 2025-HOU, effective January 2025
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2025 General Schedule tables, HOU.xml. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- Pay cap (level IV of the Executive Schedule), Salary Table No. 2025-EX, effective January 2025
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): EX.xml. Retrieved October 20, 2026.
- Locality pay area definitions, 2026
- From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): 2026 locality pay area definitions. Retrieved October 18, 2026.