City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 7.2% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $107,200 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $457 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Charleston, SC to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +22.7% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (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
| Charleston, SC | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,274 in Hagerstown | $107,211 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$457/yr.
91 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$457/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC 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 Charleston, SC to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Charleston → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +22.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +22.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +22.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +22.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +22.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $63,190 | $67,747 (+11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $122,830 | $131,688 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $75,250 | $80,677 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $92,770 | $99,460 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.