City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 1.4% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $101,400 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Hagerstown, MD ($111,065 → $121,785), while prices change by −1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: 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
| Columbus, OH | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,640 in Hagerstown | $101,378 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,419/yr.
73 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Columbus → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $70,623 | +11.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $85,447 | +11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $102,415 | +11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $121,785 | +11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $143,913 | +11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $63,190 | $64,061 (−18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,830 | $124,523 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,250 | $76,287 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $92,770 | $94,049 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.