City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 4.5% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $104,500 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,192 a year in ID and $4,386 in MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Boise City, ID to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.5% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,711 in Hagerstown | $104,481 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$195/yr.
83 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$195/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Boise City → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +19.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +19.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +19.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +19.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +19.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $63,190 | $66,022 (+7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $122,830 | $128,334 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $75,250 | $78,622 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $92,770 | $96,927 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.