$100k salary, packing up from Boulder

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Harrisburg, PA cityscape

next stop after boulder

Harrisburg

pa · metro 606k

a dispatch from

harrisburg

PA

40.26°N

76.88°W

Harrisburg is the Pennsylvania state capital sitting on the Susquehanna River, with a gorgeous Beaux-Arts capitol building (Theodore Roosevelt called it the handsomest building he ever saw). City Island in the middle of the river is a small park with minor league baseball. Hershey is 15 minutes east (yes, that Hershey). Slower-paced than its metro neighbors.

metro606k

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$881

below Boulder's monthly cost

Harrisburg is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
landable, recorded on the harrisburg entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,446/mo

35% cheaper than Boulder(vs $2,216/mo)

02state income tax

3.07%

$111/mo less in state tax than Boulder

vs 4.4% in Boulder

03after rent

$6,632/mo

$881 more than Boulder

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

04a house here

$309k

61% cheaper than Boulder

vs $783k in Boulder

05metro size

606k

vs 327k in Boulder

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

152

pleasant days a year, in harrisburg.

Boulder edges ahead with 178 pleasant days.

5.5× the events of Boulder, and the calendar shows it.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

13% lower than Boulder

vs 79/100 in Boulder

Closest outdoor draw: Gifford Pinchot State Park, 12.7 mi.

·walk score®

93/100

11% higher than Boulder

vs 84/100 in Boulder

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

12

93% fewer than Boulder

vs 169 nonstops in Boulder

04 · see also

cities that play in harrisburg's register:

compare harrisburg with: