$100k a year, no longer in Grand Rapids
changea dispatch from
durham
NC
35.99°N
78.90°W
Durham is Duke University, old tobacco warehouses turned into incredible restaurants and breweries (the American Tobacco Campus is a model for adaptive reuse), and a food scene that punches way above its size (multiple James Beard winners). Bull City pride runs deep. The Eno River and Duke Gardens are right in town. It's more diverse, weirder, and more interesting than outsiders expect.
the verdict
the monthly cost of moving past Grand Rapids
Durham edges out a little pricier. Close enough that the decision rides on the days, not the dollars.
a quick ledger.
$1,684/mo
4% more expensive than Grand Rapids(vs $1,620/mo)
4.5%
$21/mo more in state tax than Grand Rapids
vs 4.25% in Grand Rapids
$6,274/mo
$85 less than Grand Rapids
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$415k
18% more expensive than Grand Rapids
vs $353k in Grand Rapids
609k
vs 1.2M in Grand Rapids
field notes, weather & such.
178
pleasant days a year, in durham.
Grand Rapids only manages 151 of those.
Lighter on events: Grand Rapids packs 2.0× more into a month.
50/100
11% lower than Grand Rapids
vs 56/100 in Grand Rapids
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 10.9 mi.
80/100
18% lower than Grand Rapids
vs 97/100 in Grand Rapids
39
95% more than Grand Rapids
vs 20 nonstops in Grand Rapids
neighbors of durham on the map of tradeoffs:
compare durham with:
