City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 11.0% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $111,000 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- Both are in MD, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,386 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $121,785 in either. A transfer from Baltimore, MD to Hagerstown, MD changes real buying power by +11.0%, purely from prices.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,127 in Hagerstown | $110,955 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Baltimore → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $70,623 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $85,447 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $102,415 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $121,785 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $143,913 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $138,170 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $122,830 | $136,285 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $75,250 | $83,493 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $92,770 | $102,933 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.