City comparison
Albany, NY vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 5.7% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $105,700 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $473 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.9% moving from Albany, NY to Hagerstown, MD ($109,810 → $121,785), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,581 in Hagerstown | $105,729 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$473/yr.
87 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$473/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Albany → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $70,623 | +17.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $85,447 | +17.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $102,415 | +17.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $121,785 | +17.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $143,913 | +17.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $63,190 | $66,810 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $122,830 | $129,867 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $75,250 | $79,561 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $92,770 | $98,085 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.