City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 2.8% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $102,800 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD and $926 in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $716 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Lincoln, NE ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.1% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,250 in Lincoln | $102,828 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $49,800 |
| 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 Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$716/yr.
78 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$716/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Hagerstown → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $61,940 | $63,692 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $101,690 | $104,566 (−14.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $65,170 | $67,013 (−10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $87,530 | $90,005 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.