City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 3.5% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $103,500 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, TN and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Clarksville, TN to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.5% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much 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
| Clarksville, TN | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,545 in Hagerstown | $96,576 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
58 Fair offer
Hagerstown, MD → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN 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 Clarksville, TN to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Clarksville → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $63,190 | $61,027 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $122,830 | $118,625 (+22.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $75,250 | $72,674 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $92,770 | $89,594 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.