City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 9.6% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $109,600 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,386 a year in MD and $4,180 in NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Trenton, NJ ($121,785 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,567 in Trenton | $91,269 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
41 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Hagerstown → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $72,737 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $88,005 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $105,481 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $125,431 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $148,222 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $77,850 | $71,053 (+12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $128,770 | $117,527 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $99,550 | $90,858 (+20.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $99,990 | $91,260 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.