City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 1.6% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $101,600 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,466 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.8% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Indianapolis, IN ($121,785 → $107,428), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.2% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,619 in Indianapolis | $98,406 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,466/yr.
64 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,466/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Hagerstown → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,297 | −13.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $75,374 | −13.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $90,341 | −13.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $107,428 | −13.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $126,947 | −13.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $60,510 | $59,546 (−5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $106,870 | $105,167 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,290 | $78,026 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $84,230 | $82,888 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.