City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hagerstown, MD (94.2) and St. Louis, MO (95.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD goes as far as $101,000 in St. Louis, MO.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD and $995 in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $624 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from Hagerstown, MD to St. Louis, MO ($121,785 → $109,137), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.2% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,974 in St. Louis | $99,036 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$624/yr.
66 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$624/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Hagerstown → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $63,288 | −11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $76,573 | −11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $91,779 | −11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $109,137 | −11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $128,967 | −11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $60,650 | $60,065 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $129,030 | $127,786 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $78,880 | $78,119 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $83,180 | $82,378 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.