City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 9.1% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $109,100 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Hartford, CT ($121,785 → $120,094), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,106 in Hartford | $91,654 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
43 Weak offer
Hartford, CT → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Hartford, CT | Real change, Hagerstown → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,642 | −9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,260 | −9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $100,992 | −9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,094 | −9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $141,915 | −9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $79,800 | $73,140 (+15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $132,520 | $121,460 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $95,940 | $87,933 (+16.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $101,470 | $93,001 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.