same $100k income, fresh start from Madison
changea dispatch from
lancaster
PA
40.04°N
76.30°W
Lancaster is the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country, with horse-drawn buggies on rural roads and the Central Market (the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country, since the 1730s). The food scene is sneaky-strong, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous, and the city's downtown has come back nicely. Whoopie pies, shoofly pies, and sticky buns are mandatory.
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than Madison
Not a fortune, but real money. Lancaster runs cheaper than Madison month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,517/mo
9% cheaper than Madison(vs $1,673/mo)
3.07%
$267/mo less in state tax than Madison
vs 6.27% in Madison
$6,561/mo
$423 more than Madison
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$384k
17% cheaper than Madison
vs $465k in Madison
559k
vs 694k in Madison
field notes, weather & such.
158
pleasant days a year, in lancaster.
Madison barely cracks 147 pleasant ones.
Madison hosts 2.7× more events.
63/100
6% lower than Madison
vs 67/100 in Madison
Closest outdoor draw: Susquehanna Riverlands State Park, 18.3 mi.
97/100
10% higher than Madison
vs 88/100 in Madison
1
91% fewer than Madison
vs 11 nonstops in Madison
neighbors of lancaster on the map of tradeoffs:
compare lancaster with:
