City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 8.9% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $108,900 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,316 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Philadelphia, PA ($121,785 → $117,284), while prices change by +8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,902 in Philadelphia | $91,826 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,316/yr.
43 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,316/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Hagerstown → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $68,013 | −11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $82,289 | −11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $98,630 | −11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $117,284 | −11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $138,595 | −11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $78,570 | $72,148 (+14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $133,040 | $122,165 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $85,990 | $78,961 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $101,180 | $92,909 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.