City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 5.9% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $105,900 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Hagerstown, MD and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $394 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Wichita, KS ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,452 in Wichita | $105,874 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $47,630 |
| 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 Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$394/yr.
87 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$394/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Wichita, KS | Real change, Hagerstown → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $58,640 | $62,085 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $105,980 | $112,206 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,270 | $83,927 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $76,540 | $81,036 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.