$100k a year, no longer in Birmingham
changea dispatch from
chicago
IL
41.88°N
87.63°W
Chicago is deep-dish for tourists, thin-crust tavern style for locals, and a hot dog that absolutely will not have ketchup on it. The L rumbles overhead, the lakefront stretches for 18 unbroken miles of beach and trail, and the architecture boat tour is the single best $50 you'll spend. Summer in Chicago might be the best summer in America. The improv comedy gene pool is unmatched.
in our guides
the verdict
more each month than Birmingham ran you
You'd pay for Chicago. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
54% more expensive than Birmingham(vs $1,407/mo)
4.95%
$4/mo less in state tax than Birmingham
vs 5% in Birmingham
$5,751/mo
$759 less than Birmingham
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
40% more expensive than Birmingham
vs $261k in Birmingham
9.3M
vs 1.2M in Birmingham
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Birmingham actually gets more: 171 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 38 days below 20° here, 4 in Birmingham.
A real upgrade on things to do: 14.4× Birmingham's pace.
70/100
15% higher than Birmingham
vs 61/100 in Birmingham
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
27% higher than Birmingham
vs 79/100 in Birmingham
217
985% more than Birmingham
vs 20 nonstops in Birmingham
compare chicago with:
