City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 2.9% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $102,900 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,095 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.9% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Tucson, AZ ($121,785 → $108,455), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.4% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,894 in Tucson | $97,188 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,095/yr.
60 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,095/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Hagerstown → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,893 | −13.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $76,095 | −13.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $91,205 | −13.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,455 | −13.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $128,162 | −13.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $47,220 | $45,892 (−27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $123,710 | $120,231 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,320 | $74,174 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $94,110 | $91,463 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.