same $100k income, fresh start from Chicago
changea 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.
in our guides
of 10
Best affordable cities to retire
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave New York for
read the guideof 10
Best cities on the East Coast
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave Boston for
read the guideof 10
Best cities to leave DC for
read the guideof 10
Best cities for creatives and artists
read the guideof 10
Affordable alternatives to Boise
read the guidethe verdict
cheaper each month than Chicago
Harrisburg sits well below Chicago on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$1,446/mo
33% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
3.07%
$157/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,632/mo
$881 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$309k
15% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
606k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
152
pleasant days a year, in harrisburg.
Chicago gets 153 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.
But the calendar thins out: Chicago stays 39.2× busier.
69/100
1% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Gifford Pinchot State Park, 12.7 mi.
93/100
7% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
12
94% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
in the same ballpark as harrisburg:
