City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 8.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $108,900 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Hagerstown, MD and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Kingsport, TN ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,798 in Kingsport | $108,935 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $45,240 |
| 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
97 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Hagerstown → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $58,130 | $63,324 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $115,310 | $125,613 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,940 | $82,725 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $76,730 | $83,586 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.