City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 2.2% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $102,200 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Memphis, TN ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.7% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,885 in Memphis | $102,161 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $46,890 |
| 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
76 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Memphis, TN | Real change, Hagerstown → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $61,510 | $62,839 (−0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $125,580 | $128,294 (+4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,960 | $78,623 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $81,500 | $83,261 (−10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.