City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 6.4% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $106,400 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Hagerstown, MD and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.7% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Hickory, NC ($121,785 → $108,810), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,963 in Hickory | $106,425 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
89 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Hickory, NC | Real change, Hagerstown → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $63,098 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $76,343 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $91,503 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,810 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $128,581 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $49,540 | $52,723 (−16.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $122,540 | $130,413 (+6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $77,490 | $82,469 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $80,060 | $85,204 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.