City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 5.5% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $105,500 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $961 in Hagerstown, MD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,386 in MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.2% moving from Columbus, GA to Hagerstown, MD ($112,556 → $121,785), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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
| Columbus, GA | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,459 in Hagerstown | $94,823 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
53 Fair offer
Hagerstown, MD → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Columbus → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $70,623 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $85,447 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $102,415 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $121,785 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $143,913 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $63,190 | $59,919 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $122,830 | $116,471 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $75,250 | $71,354 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $92,770 | $87,968 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.