City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 3.9% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $103,900 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $550 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Richmond, VA ($121,785 → $111,183), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.1% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,915 in Richmond | $96,232 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$550/yr.
57 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$550/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Richmond, VA | Real change, Hagerstown → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,475 | −12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $78,009 | −12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,499 | −12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,183 | −12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,385 | −12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $61,290 | $58,981 (−6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $132,120 | $127,142 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $84,220 | $81,047 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $93,580 | $90,054 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.