$100k salary, packing up from Trenton

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Albuquerque, NM cityscape

from trenton

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

$1,090

below Trenton's monthly cost

Albuquerque sits well below Trenton on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
landable, recorded on the albuquerque entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,489/mo

41% cheaper than Trenton(vs $2,540/mo)

02state income tax

5.9%

$39/mo less in state tax than Trenton

vs 6.37% in Trenton

03after rent

$6,353/mo

$1,090 more than Trenton

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

04a house here

$351k

23% cheaper than Trenton

vs $456k in Trenton

05metro size

924k

vs 382k in Trenton

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

205

pleasant days a year, in albuquerque.

Trenton only logs 171 pleasant days. Hot stretches show up, though: 34 days above 95° here, 2 in Trenton.

A month here packs 3.8× the events of Trenton.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

14% higher than Trenton

vs 71/100 in Trenton

Closest outdoor draw: Sandia Mountain Wilderness, 13.4 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

7% higher than Trenton

vs 88/100 in Trenton

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

23

81% fewer than Trenton

vs 123 nonstops in Trenton

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