City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 5.4% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $105,400 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD and $989 in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Little Rock, AR ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,895 in Little Rock | $105,379 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $45,790 |
| 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
86 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Hagerstown → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $58,580 | $61,731 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $104,070 | $109,668 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $65,810 | $69,350 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $81,070 | $85,431 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.