same $100k income, fresh start from Philadelphia
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
cheaper each month than Philadelphia
Not a fortune, but real money. Durham runs cheaper than Philadelphia month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,684/mo
10% cheaper than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)
4.5%
$193/mo less in state tax than Philadelphia
vs 6.82% in Philadelphia
$6,274/mo
$378 more than Philadelphia
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$415k
5% more expensive than Philadelphia
vs $393k in Philadelphia
609k
vs 6.2M in Philadelphia
field notes, weather & such.
178
pleasant days a year, in durham.
Philadelphia only manages 173 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Philadelphia stays 5.3× busier.
50/100
28% lower than Philadelphia
vs 69/100 in Philadelphia
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 10.9 mi.
80/100
20% lower than Philadelphia
vs 100/100 in Philadelphia
39
68% fewer than Philadelphia
vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia
cities that play in durham's register:
compare durham with:
