City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hagerstown, MD (94.2) and Scranton, PA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD goes as far as $99,300 in Scranton, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,316 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Scranton, PA ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.0% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,347 in Scranton | $100,657 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $46,330 |
| 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,316/yr.
71 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,316/yr.
67 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Scranton, PA | Real change, Hagerstown → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −12.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −12.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −12.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −12.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −12.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | not published | $100,210 | — |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $119,960 | $120,749 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $70,480 | $70,943 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $82,650 | $83,193 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.