City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 1.6% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $101,600 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $961 in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Dayton, OH to Hagerstown, MD ($110,401 → $121,785), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.6% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,593 in Hagerstown | $98,432 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,419/yr.
64 Fair offer
Hagerstown, MD → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Dayton → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $70,623 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $85,447 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $102,415 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $121,785 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $143,913 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $63,190 | $62,199 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $122,830 | $120,904 (+13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $75,250 | $74,070 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $92,770 | $91,315 (+10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.