on $100k a year, leaving Kansas City
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
more each month than Kansas City ran you
Raleigh edges out a little pricier. Close enough that the decision rides on the days, not the dollars.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
11% more expensive than Kansas City(vs $1,502/mo)
4.5%
$17/mo less in state tax than Kansas City
vs 4.7% in Kansas City
$6,295/mo
$145 less than Kansas City
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
35% more expensive than Kansas City
vs $326k in Kansas City
1.5M
vs 2.2M in Kansas City
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Kansas City only manages 170 of those.
Lighter on events: Kansas City packs 1.8× more into a month.
58/100
4% higher than Kansas City
vs 56/100 in Kansas City
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
3% higher than Kansas City
vs 94/100 in Kansas City
39
9% fewer than Kansas City
vs 43 nonstops in Kansas City
neighbors of raleigh on the map of tradeoffs:
