$100k salary, packing up from Riverside
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
under Riverside, every month
Raleigh is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
33% cheaper than Riverside(vs $2,493/mo)
4.5%
$400/mo less in state tax than Riverside
vs 9.3% in Riverside
$6,295/mo
$1,230 more than Riverside
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
26% cheaper than Riverside
vs $595k in Riverside
1.5M
vs 4.7M in Riverside
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Riverside actually gets more: 249 pleasant days a year.
A real upgrade on things to do: 7.8× Riverside's pace.
58/100
16% lower than Riverside
vs 69/100 in Riverside
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
5% higher than Riverside
vs 92/100 in Riverside
39
179% more than Riverside
vs 14 nonstops in Riverside
same energy as raleigh, different zip code:
