on $100k a year, leaving Indianapolis
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 Indianapolis
Raleigh runs a little pricier than Indianapolis. The case has to be about something other than rent.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
10% more expensive than Indianapolis(vs $1,511/mo)
4.5%
$125/mo more in state tax than Indianapolis
vs 3% in Indianapolis
$6,295/mo
$277 less than Indianapolis
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
49% more expensive than Indianapolis
vs $296k in Indianapolis
1.5M
vs 2.1M in Indianapolis
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Indianapolis barely cracks 174 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Indianapolis stays 1.9× busier.
58/100
6% lower than Indianapolis
vs 62/100 in Indianapolis
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
2% lower than Indianapolis
vs 99/100 in Indianapolis
39
11% more than Indianapolis
vs 35 nonstops in Indianapolis
if raleigh appeals, also worth a look:
