$100k salary, packing up from Springfield

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

if you left springfield

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

$340

the monthly cost of moving past Springfield

You'd pay for Albuquerque. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

19% more expensive than Springfield(vs $1,249/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$100/mo more in state tax than Springfield

vs 4.7% in Springfield

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$340 less than Springfield

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

04a house here

$351k

31% more expensive than Springfield

vs $268k in Springfield

05metro size

924k

vs 491k in Springfield

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Springfield only manages 170 of those. Summer is real but not punishing: 34 days top 95° vs Springfield's 12.

A month here packs 2.6× the events of Springfield.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

62% higher than Springfield

vs 50/100 in Springfield

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

6% higher than Springfield

vs 89/100 in Springfield

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

156% more than Springfield

vs 9 nonstops in Springfield

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