City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 5.0% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $105,000 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Hagerstown, MD and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $349 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Montgomery, AL ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.2% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,233 in Montgomery | $105,005 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $44,950 |
| 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 Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$349/yr.
84 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$349/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Hagerstown → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $59,610 | $62,594 (−0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $110,620 | $116,157 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,040 | $78,796 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $79,570 | $83,553 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.