City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 8.2% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $108,200 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,268 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Portland, ME ($121,785 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,163 in Portland | $92,453 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,268/yr.
42 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,268/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Portland, ME | Real change, Hagerstown → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,905 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,579 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $101,375 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,548 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $142,452 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $76,770 | $70,976 (+12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $128,710 | $118,997 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,790 | $73,768 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $88,470 | $81,793 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.