same $100k income, fresh start from Des Moines
changea dispatch from
charlotte
NC
35.23°N
80.84°W
Charlotte is banking towers (it's the second-biggest banking center in the country after NYC) wrapped in pine trees and southern hospitality. Uptown is the downtown (Charlotteans correct you on this immediately), the NASCAR Hall of Fame anchors a real motorsport scene, and the Whitewater Center lets you raft inside the city limits. Growth is fast, breweries are everywhere, and barbecue gets the Carolina vinegar treatment.
in our guides
the verdict
pricier each month than Des Moines
Charlotte runs a little pricier than Des Moines. The case has to be about something other than rent.
a quick ledger.
$1,728/mo
36% more expensive than Des Moines(vs $1,268/mo)
4.5%
$125/mo less in state tax than Des Moines
vs 6% in Des Moines
$6,230/mo
$335 less than Des Moines
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$391k
31% more expensive than Des Moines
vs $300k in Des Moines
2.8M
vs 737k in Des Moines
field notes, weather & such.
200
pleasant days a year, in charlotte.
Des Moines barely cracks 151 pleasant ones.
A real upgrade on things to do: 2.5× Des Moines's pace.
51/100
7% lower than Des Moines
vs 55/100 in Des Moines
Closest outdoor draw: Kings Mountain State Park, 30.3 mi.
94/100
21% higher than Des Moines
vs 78/100 in Des Moines
141
729% more than Des Moines
vs 17 nonstops in Des Moines
if charlotte appeals, also worth a look:
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