What it's like to live in Hagerstown
Hagerstown is a small city in Maryland with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hagerstown deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Hagerstown compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hagerstown
Based on Hagerstown's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,228
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,560 a year
- 49% of Hagerstown renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$44,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,450
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,114/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,114 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $224,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $224,500 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 19% above US
5.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 87% above US
616 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2454/100k · Hagerstown Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 43% below US
21% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 21%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Antietam National Battlefield (12 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hagerstown's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,114/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Hagerstown
All Maryland guides →Moving to Frederick →
22 mi away · pop. 83,395
Rent $1,764/mo · Income $97,069
Compare with Hagerstown →Moving to Ballenger Creek →
24 mi away · pop. 26,390
Rent $1,987/mo · Income $108,944
Compare with Hagerstown →Not sure Hagerstown is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.