same $100k income, fresh start from Spartanburg

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

next stop after spartanburg

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

$5

pricier each month than Spartanburg

A small premium for Albuquerque. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

4% more expensive than Spartanburg(vs $1,434/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$50/mo less in state tax than Spartanburg

vs 6.5% in Spartanburg

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$5 less than Spartanburg

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

04a house here

$351k

27% more expensive than Spartanburg

vs $277k in Spartanburg

05metro size

924k

vs 383k in Spartanburg

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Spartanburg only manages 191 of those. Summer is real but not punishing: 34 days top 95° vs Spartanburg's 16.

A month here packs 2.8× the events of Spartanburg.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

19% higher than Spartanburg

vs 68/100 in Spartanburg

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

22% higher than Spartanburg

vs 77/100 in Spartanburg

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

15% more than Spartanburg

vs 20 nonstops in Spartanburg

04 · see also

neighbors of albuquerque on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

greenville

more things to do

turn the page

see also

spokane

$460/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

eugene

better weather

turn the page

compare albuquerque with:

GreenvilleSpokaneEugene