City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 11.9% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $111,900 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Anchorage, AK to Hagerstown, MD ($120,348 → $121,785), while prices change by −10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Anchorage, AK | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,329 in Hagerstown | $111,945 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Anchorage → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $70,623 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $85,447 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $102,415 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $121,785 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $143,913 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $63,190 | $70,738 (−10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $122,830 | $137,502 (+32.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $75,250 | $84,239 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $92,770 | $103,852 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.