City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 2.5% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $102,500 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.3% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,580 in Hagerstown | $102,480 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
76 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Asheville → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +17.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +17.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +17.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +17.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +17.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $63,190 | $64,757 (+29.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,830 | $125,876 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $75,250 | $77,116 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $92,770 | $95,070 (+16.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.