City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 4.2% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $104,200 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Raleigh, NC ($121,785 → $111,147), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.4% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,233 in Raleigh | $95,939 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
56 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Hagerstown → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,453 | −12.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,983 | −12.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,468 | −12.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,147 | −12.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,342 | −12.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $60,170 | $57,727 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $132,770 | $127,378 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $81,950 | $78,622 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $84,830 | $81,385 (−12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.