$100k salary, packing up from Chicago
changea dispatch from
ocala
FL
29.19°N
82.13°W
Ocala is the horse capital of the world (it actually has more thoroughbred horses than Lexington, Kentucky), with rolling hills of horse farms unlike anywhere else in Florida. Silver Springs (one of the largest artesian springs in the world) is right next door, with glass-bottom boats and clear blue water. Surprisingly hilly. Slower than the coastal cities, with a quietly strong equestrian economy.
the verdict
less monthly outlay than Chicago
Move to Ocala and the monthly math gets easier. Chicago's rent is the headline; Ocala's is a footnote.
a quick ledger.
$1,616/mo
26% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
0%
$412/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,717/mo
$966 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$277k
24% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
410k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
208
pleasant days a year, in ocala.
Chicago barely cracks 153 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Chicago stays 1295.0× busier.
62/100
11% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Silver River State Park, 6.4 mi.
63/100
37% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
5
98% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
compare ocala with:
