on $100k a year, leaving Des Moines

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

instead of des moines

Albuquerque

nm · metro 924k

photo: Lad Fury / pexels

a dispatch from

albuquerque

NM

35.08°N

106.65°W

Albuquerque is green chile on everything, the Sandia Mountains turning pink at sunset (the name literally means watermelon), and the Balloon Fiesta in October when 500+ hot air balloons fill the sky. The old town adobes feel like the 1700s, the food fuses Native, Mexican, and Spanish in ways you won't get anywhere else. Breaking Bad fans will recognize half the city, and locals are good-natured about it.

metro924k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$212

more each month than Des Moines ran you

Albuquerque runs a little pricier than Des Moines. The case has to be about something other than rent.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

17% more expensive than Des Moines(vs $1,268/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$8/mo less in state tax than Des Moines

vs 6% in Des Moines

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$212 less than Des Moines

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$351k

17% more expensive than Des Moines

vs $300k in Des Moines

05metro size

924k

vs 737k in Des Moines

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Des Moines barely cracks 151 pleasant ones. Summers run hot, though: 34 days above 95° vs Des Moines's 7.

Comparable to Des Moines for events and concerts.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

47% higher than Des Moines

vs 55/100 in Des Moines

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

21% higher than Des Moines

vs 78/100 in Des Moines

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

35% more than Des Moines

vs 17 nonstops in Des Moines

04 · see also

neighbors of albuquerque on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

spartanburg

$5/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

greenville

more things to do

turn the page

see also

spokane

$460/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare albuquerque with:

SpartanburgGreenvilleSpokane