City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 10.4% higher than in Harrisburg, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Harrisburg, PA would need about $110,400 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 19% in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,462 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Washington, DC ($108,592 → $121,785), while prices change by +10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Harrisburg, PA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,374 in Washington | $90,601 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,462/yr.
28 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,462/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Washington, DC | Real change, Harrisburg → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $70,623 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $85,447 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $102,415 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $121,785 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $143,913 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $79,470 | $72,001 (−6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $154,930 | $140,368 (+28.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $102,140 | $92,540 (+21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $102,710 | $93,056 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.