City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 6.3% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $106,300 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,386 in MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.2% moving from Atlanta, GA to Hagerstown, MD ($112,556 → $121,785), while prices change by −5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.0% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,116 in Hagerstown | $106,251 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
88 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Atlanta → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $70,623 | +15.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $85,447 | +15.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $102,415 | +15.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $121,785 | +15.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $143,913 | +15.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $63,190 | $67,140 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $122,830 | $130,509 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $75,250 | $79,954 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $92,770 | $98,569 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.