City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 3.4% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $103,400 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.9% moving from Charlotte, NC to Hagerstown, MD ($108,810 → $121,785), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.7% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Charlotte, NC | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,736 in Hagerstown | $103,374 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
79 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Charlotte → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $70,623 | +15.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $85,447 | +15.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $102,415 | +15.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $121,785 | +15.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $143,913 | +15.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $63,190 | $65,322 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $122,830 | $126,974 (−6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $75,250 | $77,789 (−16.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $92,770 | $95,900 (+5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.