City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 3.2% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $103,200 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Lakeland, FL ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.3% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,154 in Lakeland | $96,943 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $46,140 |
| 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
59 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Hagerstown → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $50,420 | $48,878 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $122,200 | $118,464 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,820 | $74,471 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $84,030 | $81,461 (−12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.