$100k a year, no longer in Washington
changea dispatch from
huntsville
AL
34.73°N
86.59°W
Huntsville is Rocket City, with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, the Saturn V rocket on display at the Space and Rocket Center, and a tech and engineering economy that punches way above the city's size. Cummings Research Park is the second-largest research park in the U.S. The Tennessee River and Monte Sano State Park give it a quiet outdoor side. Affordable and surprisingly smart.
the verdict
less monthly outlay than Washington
Huntsville sits well below Washington on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$1,374/mo
42% cheaper than Washington(vs $2,352/mo)
5%
$292/mo less in state tax than Washington
vs 8.5% in Washington
$6,543/mo
$1,270 more than Washington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$316k
50% cheaper than Washington
vs $626k in Washington
527k
vs 6.3M in Washington
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in huntsville.
Washington only manages 177 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Washington stays 5.0× busier.
58/100
33% lower than Washington
vs 87/100 in Washington
Closest outdoor draw: Monte Sano State Park, 2.4 mi.
70/100
29% lower than Washington
vs 98/100 in Washington
9
94% fewer than Washington
vs 160 nonstops in Washington
neighbors of huntsville on the map of tradeoffs:
compare huntsville with:
