with $100k coming in, swapping out of Baltimore
changea dispatch from
reading
PA
40.33°N
75.93°W
Reading is the Pagoda lit up on Mount Penn (a Japanese-style pavilion built in 1908 that's become the city symbol), old factory bones, and the surrounding Berks County farmland. The downtown food and art scene is growing into the old factory bones, with breweries and galleries opening steadily. Pretzels, scrapple, and Pennsylvania Dutch baking are everywhere. Cheaper than nearby Lancaster.
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than Baltimore
Reading is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
a quick ledger.
$1,478/mo
21% cheaper than Baltimore(vs $1,868/mo)
3.07%
$427/mo less in state tax than Baltimore
vs 8.2% in Baltimore
$6,600/mo
$818 more than Baltimore
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$311k
25% cheaper than Baltimore
vs $412k in Baltimore
433k
vs 2.8M in Baltimore
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in reading.
Baltimore gets 168 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.
57% fewer events than Baltimore. The pace eases up.
65/100
2% lower than Baltimore
vs 66/100 in Baltimore
Closest outdoor draw: French Creek State Park, 9.6 mi.
85/100
13% lower than Baltimore
vs 98/100 in Baltimore
0
100% fewer than Baltimore
vs 72 nonstops in Baltimore
compare reading with:
