on $100k a year, leaving Lakeland

change
Albuquerque, NM cityscape

instead of lakeland

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

$146

pricier each month than Lakeland

Barely costlier than Lakeland. If Albuquerque pulls you in, it's the life it offers, not the price tag.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

19% cheaper than Lakeland(vs $1,834/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$492/mo more in state tax than Lakeland

vs 0% in Lakeland

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$146 less than Lakeland

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

04a house here

$351k

17% more expensive than Lakeland

vs $301k in Lakeland

05metro size

924k

vs 818k in Lakeland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Lakeland gets 206 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Summers run hot, though: 34 days above 95° vs Lakeland's 13.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 3.5× more on the calendar than Lakeland.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

69% higher than Lakeland

vs 48/100 in Lakeland

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

42% higher than Lakeland

vs 66/100 in Lakeland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

66% fewer than Lakeland

vs 68 nonstops in Lakeland

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as albuquerque:

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