on $100k a year, leaving Birmingham
changea dispatch from
raleigh
NC
35.78°N
78.64°W
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
in our guides
the verdict
the monthly premium over Birmingham
Raleigh costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
18% more expensive than Birmingham(vs $1,407/mo)
4.5%
$42/mo less in state tax than Birmingham
vs 5% in Birmingham
$6,295/mo
$215 less than Birmingham
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
69% more expensive than Birmingham
vs $261k in Birmingham
1.5M
vs 1.2M in Birmingham
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Birmingham only manages 171 of those.
Birmingham hosts 1.9× more events.
58/100
5% lower than Birmingham
vs 61/100 in Birmingham
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
23% higher than Birmingham
vs 79/100 in Birmingham
39
95% more than Birmingham
vs 20 nonstops in Birmingham
cities that play in raleigh's register:
