$100k salary, packing up from Denver

change
Eugene, OR cityscape

next stop after denver

Eugene

or · metro 381k

photo: Tim Mossholder / pexels

a dispatch from

eugene

OR

44.05°N

123.09°W

Eugene is Track Town USA (Hayward Field is the spiritual home of American distance running), the University of Oregon, and a hippie-academic-outdoorsy culture that's been here since the '60s and isn't going anywhere. The Willamette and McKenzie rivers meet just outside town. Saturday Market downtown has been running for over 50 years. Coffee and craft beer are taken seriously. Misty in winter, glorious in summer.

metro381k

in our guides

#2

of 10

Best cities for food and nightlife

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities for young professionals

read the guide
#8

of 10

Most walkable cities in America

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best affordable cities to live car-free

read the guide
#2

of 10

Most vibrant and affordable cities

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for families

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for families who love the outdoors

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for couples

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for live music and arts

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for mild four-season weather

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities for work-life balance

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities to leave Chicago for

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best small cities to live in

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities for a $75k salary

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for a $100k salary

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities to leave Miami for

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for outdoor athletes

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for cyclists

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for foodies

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for dog owners

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for creatives and artists

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities in the Pacific Northwest

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities to live in your 30s

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$299

the monthly premium over Denver

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

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,799/mo

3% cheaper than Denver(vs $1,863/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$363/mo more in state tax than Denver

vs 4.4% in Denver

03after rent

$5,805/mo

$299 less than Denver

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

04a house here

$456k

24% cheaper than Denver

vs $599k in Denver

05metro size

381k

vs 3.0M in Denver

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

206

pleasant days a year, in eugene.

Denver only manages 174 of those.

Denver hosts 16.8× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

75/100

12% lower than Denver

vs 85/100 in Denver

Closest outdoor draw: Willamette National Forest, 47.5 mi.

·walk score®

97/100

0% lower than Denver

vs 97/100 in Denver

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

95% fewer than Denver

vs 169 nonstops in Denver

04 · see also

same energy as eugene, different zip code:

see also

pensacola

$776/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

reno

$620/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

greenville

$436/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare eugene with:

PensacolaRenoGreenville