same $100k income, fresh start from Chattanooga
changea dispatch from
birmingham
AL
33.52°N
86.80°W
Birmingham was built on steel and reshaped by the civil rights movement, and you can feel both stories in the city. The Civil Rights Institute is essential, the food scene (Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club, plenty more) is one of the most acclaimed in the South. The Vulcan statue, the largest cast-iron statue in the world, looks down on the city from Red Mountain. Younger than its reputation suggests.
the verdict
more expensive each month than Chattanooga
Birmingham costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$1,407/mo
8% cheaper than Chattanooga(vs $1,524/mo)
5%
$417/mo more in state tax than Chattanooga
vs 0% in Chattanooga
$6,510/mo
$299 less than Chattanooga
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$261k
19% cheaper than Chattanooga
vs $322k in Chattanooga
1.2M
vs 580k in Chattanooga
field notes, weather & such.
171
pleasant days a year, in birmingham.
Chattanooga only manages 167 of those.
A real upgrade on things to do: 3.9× Chattanooga's pace.
61/100
12% lower than Chattanooga
vs 69/100 in Chattanooga
Closest outdoor draw: Oak Mountain State Park, 12.8 mi.
79/100
4% lower than Chattanooga
vs 82/100 in Chattanooga
20
150% more than Chattanooga
vs 8 nonstops in Chattanooga
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