City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Greenville, SC (93.3) and Hagerstown, MD (94.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Greenville, SC goes as far as $101,000 in Hagerstown, MD.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $457 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Greenville, SC to Hagerstown, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.3% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,977 in Hagerstown | $99,033 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/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 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$457/yr.
66 Fair offer
Hagerstown, MD → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$457/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, 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 Greenville, SC to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Greenville → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $63,190 | $62,579 (+3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $122,830 | $121,642 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $75,250 | $74,522 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $92,770 | $91,873 (+12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.