$100k salary, packing up from Boston
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
less monthly outlay than Boston
In Raleigh, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
47% cheaper than Boston(vs $3,145/mo)
4.5%
$42/mo less in state tax than Boston
vs 5% in Boston
$6,295/mo
$1,523 more than Boston
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
43% cheaper than Boston
vs $771k in Boston
1.5M
vs 4.9M in Boston
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Boston only manages 160 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Boston stays 3.6× busier.
58/100
18% lower than Boston
vs 71/100 in Boston
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
1% lower than Boston
vs 98/100 in Boston
39
62% fewer than Boston
vs 103 nonstops in Boston
same energy as raleigh, different zip code:
