City comparison
Boston, MA vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 15.0% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $115,000 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $394 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Boston, MA to Hagerstown, MD ($120,548 → $121,785), while prices change by −13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.1% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,981 in Hagerstown | $114,967 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$394/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$394/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Boston → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $70,623 | +16.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $85,447 | +16.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $102,415 | +16.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $121,785 | +16.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $143,913 | +16.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $63,190 | $72,648 (−25.9%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $122,830 | $141,215 (−15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $75,250 | $86,513 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $92,770 | $106,655 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.