with $100k coming in, swapping out of Indianapolis

change
Denver, CO cityscape

swapping out of indianapolis

Denver

co · metro 3.0M

photo: Noel Aph / pexels

a dispatch from

denver

CO

39.74°N

104.98°W

Denver is a mile above sea level, an hour from a dozen ski resorts, and surrounded by mountains that make every west-facing window feel like a vacation. The air is dry, the sun shows up roughly 300 days a year, and craft beer is taken seriously enough to have its own annual pilgrimage (the Great American Beer Festival). Green chile is a hill people will die on. The patio season is essentially eternal.

metro3.0M

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$468

the monthly cost of moving past Indianapolis

Denver costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
landable, recorded on the denver entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,863/mo

23% more expensive than Indianapolis(vs $1,511/mo)

02state income tax

4.4%

$117/mo more in state tax than Indianapolis

vs 3% in Indianapolis

03after rent

$6,104/mo

$468 less than Indianapolis

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

04a house here

$599k

103% more expensive than Indianapolis

vs $296k in Indianapolis

05metro size

3.0M

vs 2.1M in Indianapolis

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

174

pleasant days a year, in denver.

Indianapolis keeps to 174 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 66 days below 20°, vs 30 in Indianapolis.

A real upgrade on things to do: 5.1× Indianapolis's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

85/100

37% higher than Indianapolis

vs 62/100 in Indianapolis

Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 47.3 mi.

·walk score®

97/100

2% lower than Indianapolis

vs 99/100 in Indianapolis

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

169

383% more than Indianapolis

vs 35 nonstops in Indianapolis

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as denver:

see also

boulder

better weather

turn the page

see also

las vegas

$498/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

washington

better weather

turn the page

compare denver with:

BoulderLas VegasWashington