City comparison
Denver, CO vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 12.3% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $112,300 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $695 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.6% moving from Denver, CO to Hagerstown, MD ($118,675 → $121,785), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.3% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,024 in Hagerstown | $112,330 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$695/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$695/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Denver → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $70,623 | +15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $85,447 | +15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $102,415 | +15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $121,785 | +15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $143,913 | +15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $63,190 | $70,981 (−7.7%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $122,830 | $137,975 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $75,250 | $84,528 (−15.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $92,770 | $104,208 (+3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.