City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hagerstown, MD (94.2) and Myrtle Beach, SC (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD goes as far as $99,400 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,229 a month in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $457 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Myrtle Beach, SC ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.1% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,438 in Myrtle Beach | $100,565 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $37,930 |
| 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 Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Myrtle Beach, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$457/yr.
71 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Hagerstown, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$457/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Hagerstown → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $74,520 | $74,941 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $80,640 | $81,096 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.