City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 8.5% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $108,500 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $684 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.8% moving from Fresno, CA to Hagerstown, MD ($106,973 → $121,785), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +23.5% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,182 in Hagerstown | $108,481 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$684/yr.
95 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$684/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Fresno → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $70,623 | +23.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $85,447 | +23.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $102,415 | +23.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $121,785 | +23.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $143,913 | +23.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $63,190 | $68,549 (−13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $122,830 | $133,248 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $75,250 | $81,632 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $92,770 | $100,638 (−19.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.