City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 2.7% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $102,700 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Gainesville, FL to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.5% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,351 in Hagerstown | $102,721 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
77 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Gainesville → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +17.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +17.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +17.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +17.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +17.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $63,190 | $64,909 (+15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $122,830 | $126,172 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $75,250 | $77,297 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $92,770 | $95,294 (+16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.