City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hagerstown, MD are 2.3% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $102,300 in Hagerstown, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Winston, NC ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.6% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,740 in Winston | $102,312 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
76 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Winston, NC | Real change, Hagerstown → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −10.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −10.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $56,510 | $57,816 (−8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $124,130 | $127,000 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $78,950 | $80,775 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $86,120 | $88,111 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.