City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 8.0% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $108,000 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD versus $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Hagerstown, MD and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Lafayette, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Lafayette, LA ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,607 in Lafayette | $107,983 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
94 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Lafayette, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Hagerstown → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $47,770 | $51,584 (−18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $109,010 | $117,712 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $67,630 | $73,029 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $81,960 | $88,503 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.