$100k a year, no longer in Melbourne
changea dispatch from
grand rapids
MI
42.96°N
85.67°W
Grand Rapids has won Beer City USA multiple times, hosts ArtPrize (one of the world's largest open art competitions every fall), and built itself on furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller). The Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park is a sleeper world-class attraction. Downtown is walkable, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous in autumn, and Lake Michigan beaches are 30 minutes west. Quietly excellent.
the verdict
more each month than Melbourne ran you
Almost a wash on cost. The case for Grand Rapids is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
a quick ledger.
$1,620/mo
15% cheaper than Melbourne(vs $1,895/mo)
4.25%
$354/mo more in state tax than Melbourne
vs 0% in Melbourne
$6,359/mo
$79 less than Melbourne
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$353k
1% more expensive than Melbourne
vs $351k in Melbourne
1.2M
vs 644k in Melbourne
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in grand rapids.
Melbourne edges ahead with 254 pleasant days. Winter asks for something in return: 50 days under 20° here, 0 in Melbourne.
56/100
2% higher than Melbourne
vs 55/100 in Melbourne
Closest outdoor draw: White Pine Trail State Park, 5.4 mi.
97/100
15% higher than Melbourne
vs 84/100 in Melbourne
20
900% more than Melbourne
vs 2 nonstops in Melbourne
if grand rapids appeals, also worth a look:
