City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 7.4% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $107,400 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $961 a month in Hagerstown, MD and $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $349 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Tuscaloosa, AL ($121,785 → $107,510), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,152 in Tuscaloosa | $107,352 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$349/yr.
92 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$349/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Hagerstown → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,344 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $75,431 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $90,410 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $107,510 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $127,044 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $60,220 | $64,647 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $104,870 | $112,580 (−8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $71,690 | $76,960 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $75,250 | $80,782 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.