City comparison
Hagerstown, MD vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 8.9% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $108,900 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $394 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Hagerstown, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Hagerstown, MD to Worcester, MA ($121,785 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hagerstown, MD | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,869 in Worcester | $91,854 in Hagerstown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $961/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,440 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hagerstown | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 95.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 94.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hagerstown, MD → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$394/yr.
42 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$394/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hagerstown, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hagerstown, MD to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hagerstown, MD | Worcester, MA | Real change, Hagerstown → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,905 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,579 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $101,375 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,548 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $142,452 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hagerstown, MD | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Hagerstown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,190 | $82,810 | $76,064 (+20.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,830 | $146,950 | $134,979 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $94,070 | $86,407 (+14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,770 | $100,240 | $92,074 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.