City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 1.7% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $101,700 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $916 a month in Fort Wayne, IN and $961 in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,466 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,727 in Hagerstown | $98,302 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,466/yr.
63 Fair offer
Hagerstown, MD → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,466/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Fort Wayne → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +12.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +12.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +12.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +12.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +12.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $63,190 | $62,117 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $122,830 | $120,744 (+18.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,250 | $73,972 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $92,770 | $91,195 (+14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.