City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 1.8% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $101,800 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $624 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.2% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Kansas City, MO ($121,785 → $108,173), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,271 in Kansas City | $101,759 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$624/yr.
74 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$624/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Hagerstown → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,729 | −9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $75,897 | −9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $90,968 | −9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,173 | −9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $127,829 | −9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $61,060 | $62,134 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $124,990 | $127,189 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $80,040 | $81,448 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $83,040 | $84,501 (−8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.