City comparison
Durham, NC vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 3.6% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $103,600 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Durham, NC to Hagerstown, MD ($111,147 → $121,785), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.5% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,514 in Hagerstown | $103,612 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
80 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Durham → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $70,623 | +13.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $85,447 | +13.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $102,415 | +13.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $121,785 | +13.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $143,913 | +13.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $63,190 | $65,472 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $122,830 | $127,266 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,250 | $77,968 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $92,770 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.