City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 8.8% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $108,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,316 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in York, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $121,785 in either. A transfer from Baltimore, MD to York, PA changes real buying power by +8.8%, purely from prices.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,877 in York | $108,841 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,316/yr.
96 Strong offer
York, PA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,316/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | York, PA | Real change, Baltimore → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $70,623 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $85,447 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $102,415 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $121,785 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $143,913 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | York, PA | York pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $79,730 | $86,779 (+13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $114,600 | $124,731 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $75,160 | $81,805 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $96,210 | $104,716 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.