City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbia, SC (93.7) and Hagerstown, MD (94.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbia, SC goes as far as $100,500 in Hagerstown, MD.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $457 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Columbia, SC to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.8% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,543 in Hagerstown | $99,459 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/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 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$457/yr.
67 Fair offer
Hagerstown, MD → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$457/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, 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 Columbia, SC to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Columbia → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +13.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $63,190 | $62,848 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $122,830 | $122,166 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $75,250 | $74,843 (+8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $92,770 | $92,269 (+12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.