City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 5.8% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $105,800 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,118 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Jackson, MS ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,560 in Jackson | $105,753 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,118/yr.
87 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,118/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Jackson, MS | Real change, Hagerstown → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $50,240 | $53,130 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $96,990 | $102,570 (−16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $70,720 | $74,789 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $82,630 | $87,384 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.