Places › Maryland › Hagerstown

Living in Hagerstown, MD

Small city in Maryland

Hagerstown is a small city in Maryland, home to about 43,000 people, with 442,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Hagerstown a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $294k and rents for $1,700 a month
  • Strong healthcare: 5 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 85°F

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 20% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Smaller job market: about 442,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Hagerstown ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
43,000
442,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
42°F / 85°F
Average daily highs · 33″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$294k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,700/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
94
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,897
State income tax per resident · 1.25% property tax
Safety
1.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
5
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
20%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
IAD
50 mi away

Living in Hagerstown: common questions

What is the cost of living in Hagerstown?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $294k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,700 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 94, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Hagerstown?

Maryland collects about $1,897 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.25% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Hagerstown safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.4× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Hagerstown?

Hagerstown has cold winters: winter days average around 42°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 33″ of snow a year.

Does Hagerstown get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.2 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Hagerstown?

The nearest major airport is IAD, about 50 mi away.

How Hagerstown scores

Each bar compares Hagerstown with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Good

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Is Hagerstown right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.