City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 8.7% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $108,700 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +24.4% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (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
| Cape Coral, FL | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,010 in Hagerstown | $108,684 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
96 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL 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 Cape Coral, FL to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Cape Coral → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +24.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +24.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +24.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +24.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +24.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $63,190 | $68,678 (+13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $122,830 | $133,497 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $75,250 | $81,785 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $92,770 | $100,826 (+21.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.