City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 6.0% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $106,000 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Waterbury, CT ($121,785 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,954 in Waterbury | $94,381 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $51,440 |
| 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 Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
51 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Hagerstown → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $72,737 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $88,005 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $105,481 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $125,431 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $148,222 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $79,640 | $75,165 (+19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $131,290 | $123,912 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $93,010 | $87,783 (+16.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $101,690 | $95,976 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.