same $100k income, fresh start from San Jose

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Buffalo, NY cityscape

swapping out of san jose

Buffalo

ny · metro 1.2M

a dispatch from

buffalo

NY

42.89°N

78.88°W

Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.

metro1.2M

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,384

under San Jose, every month

Buffalo runs on a fraction of San Jose's budget. Same paycheck, real lifestyle upgrade.
landable, recorded on the buffalo entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,374/mo

60% cheaper than San Jose(vs $3,470/mo)

02state income tax

5.85%

$287/mo less in state tax than San Jose

vs 9.3% in San Jose

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$2,384 more than San Jose

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

04a house here

$280k

84% cheaper than San Jose

vs $1796k in San Jose

05metro size

1.2M

vs 1.9M in San Jose

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

152

pleasant days a year, in buffalo.

San Jose has the edge here, logging 283 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 42 days below 20°, vs 0 in San Jose.

About as much going on as in San Jose.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

66/100

6% lower than San Jose

vs 70/100 in San Jose

Closest outdoor draw: Darien Lakes State Park, 23.9 mi.

·walk score®

91/100

4% lower than San Jose

vs 95/100 in San Jose

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

31% fewer than San Jose

vs 29 nonstops in San Jose

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as buffalo:

compare buffalo with: