City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hagerstown, MD (94.2) and Lansing, MI (95.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD goes as far as $100,900 in Lansing, MI.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,012 a month in Lansing, MI versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Lansing, MI and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $387 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Lansing, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Lansing, MI ($121,785 → $117,402), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,871 in Lansing | $99,137 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Lansing, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$387/yr.
66 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$387/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Lansing, MI | Real change, Hagerstown → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $68,081 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $82,372 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $98,729 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $117,402 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $138,734 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $72,930 | $72,300 (+14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $97,120 | $96,282 (−21.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,210 | $78,526 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $84,320 | $83,592 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.