with $100k coming in, swapping out of Charlotte
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 expensive each month than Charlotte
Chicago costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
26% more expensive than Charlotte(vs $1,728/mo)
4.95%
$38/mo more in state tax than Charlotte
vs 4.5% in Charlotte
$5,751/mo
$479 less than Charlotte
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
7% cheaper than Charlotte
vs $391k in Charlotte
9.3M
vs 2.8M in Charlotte
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Charlotte has the edge here, logging 200 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 38 days below 20° vs Charlotte's 3.
1046% more happening than in Charlotte.
70/100
37% higher than Charlotte
vs 51/100 in Charlotte
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
6% higher than Charlotte
vs 94/100 in Charlotte
217
54% more than Charlotte
vs 141 nonstops in Charlotte
if chicago appeals, also worth a look:
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