City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 10.1% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $110,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.8% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Salem, OR ($121,785 → $114,684), while prices change by +10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.4% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,065 in Salem | $90,856 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
40 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Salem, OR | Real change, Hagerstown → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $66,505 | −14.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $80,465 | −14.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $96,443 | −14.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $114,684 | −14.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $135,522 | −14.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $74,810 | $67,969 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $131,620 | $119,584 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $87,480 | $79,481 (+5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $131,750 | $119,702 (+29.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.