$100k a year, no longer in Philadelphia

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Denver, CO cityscape

next stop after philadelphia

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

$208

less monthly outlay than Philadelphia

Denver is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
landable, recorded on the denver entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,863/mo

0% more expensive than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)

02state income tax

4.4%

$202/mo less in state tax than Philadelphia

vs 6.82% in Philadelphia

03after rent

$6,104/mo

$208 more than Philadelphia

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

04a house here

$599k

52% more expensive than Philadelphia

vs $393k in Philadelphia

05metro size

3.0M

vs 6.2M in Philadelphia

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

174

pleasant days a year, in denver.

Philadelphia only manages 173 of those. The trade is winter: 66 days below 20°, vs 21 in Philadelphia.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.5× more on the calendar than Philadelphia.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

85/100

23% higher than Philadelphia

vs 69/100 in Philadelphia

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

·walk score®

97/100

3% lower than Philadelphia

vs 100/100 in Philadelphia

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

169

39% more than Philadelphia

vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia

04 · see also

same energy as denver, different zip code:

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