City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 1.5% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $101,500 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $817 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.2% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Hagerstown, MD ($107,592 → $121,785), while prices change by −1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,561 in Hagerstown | $101,460 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$817/yr.
73 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$817/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Albuquerque → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $70,623 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $85,447 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $102,415 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $121,785 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $143,913 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $63,190 | $64,113 (−15.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $122,830 | $124,623 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $75,250 | $76,349 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $92,770 | $94,125 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.