City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 6.8% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $106,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $550 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Richmond, VA ($121,785 → $111,183), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,656 in Richmond | $106,774 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$550/yr.
90 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$550/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Richmond, VA | Real change, Baltimore → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,475 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $78,009 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,499 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,183 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,385 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $61,290 | $65,442 (−14.3%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $132,120 | $141,070 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $84,220 | $89,925 (+5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $93,580 | $99,919 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.