same $100k income, fresh start from Hagerstown

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

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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

$290

cheaper each month than Hagerstown

Not a fortune, but real money. Albuquerque runs cheaper than Hagerstown month over month.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

6% cheaper than Hagerstown(vs $1,587/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$192/mo less in state tax than Hagerstown

vs 8.2% in Hagerstown

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$290 more than Hagerstown

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

04a house here

$351k

9% more expensive than Hagerstown

vs $321k in Hagerstown

05metro size

924k

vs 305k in Hagerstown

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Hagerstown keeps to 160 pleasant days a year. Summer is real but not punishing: 34 days top 95° vs Hagerstown's 6.

A real upgrade on things to do: 2.3× Hagerstown's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

45% higher than Hagerstown

vs 56/100 in Hagerstown

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

7% higher than Hagerstown

vs 88/100 in Hagerstown

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

1050% more than Hagerstown

vs 2 nonstops in Hagerstown

04 · see also

same energy as albuquerque, different zip code:

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