$100k salary, packing up from Manchester
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
less monthly outlay than Manchester
A near-tie on cost. What separates Durham is the life around the numbers.
a quick ledger.
$1,684/mo
20% cheaper than Manchester(vs $2,092/mo)
4.5%
$375/mo more in state tax than Manchester
vs 0% in Manchester
$6,274/mo
$33 more than Manchester
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$415k
24% cheaper than Manchester
vs $548k in Manchester
609k
vs 427k in Manchester
field notes, weather & such.
178
pleasant days a year, in durham.
Manchester only manages 154 of those.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.3× more on the calendar than Manchester.
50/100
19% lower than Manchester
vs 62/100 in Manchester
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 10.9 mi.
80/100
18% lower than Manchester
vs 98/100 in Manchester
39
200% more than Manchester
vs 13 nonstops in Manchester
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