City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 11.9% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $111,900 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.8% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Portland, OR ($121,785 → $114,684), while prices change by +11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.9% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,946 in Portland | $89,329 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Portland, OR | Real change, Hagerstown → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $66,505 | −15.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $80,465 | −15.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $96,443 | −15.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $114,684 | −15.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $135,522 | −15.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $82,330 | $73,544 (+16.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $156,000 | $139,352 (+13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $92,200 | $82,361 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $130,310 | $116,404 (+25.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.