City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 12.2% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $112,200 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Manchester, NH ($121,785 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.8% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,197 in Manchester | $89,129 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Manchester, NH | Real change, Hagerstown → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,905 | −11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,579 | −11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $101,375 | −11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,548 | −11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $142,452 | −11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $73,380 | $65,403 (+3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $162,090 | $144,469 (+17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $83,660 | $74,565 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $98,600 | $87,881 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.