City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Rockford, IL
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 Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $102,200 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Hagerstown, MD and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $419 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.3% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Rockford, IL ($121,785 → $118,984), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Rockford, IL: 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 | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,858 in Rockford | $102,189 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$419/yr.
76 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$419/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Rockford, IL | Real change, Hagerstown → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $68,999 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $83,482 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $100,059 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $118,984 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $140,604 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $64,200 | $65,605 (+3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $107,640 | $109,996 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,260 | $76,907 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $80,930 | $82,701 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.