with $100k coming in, swapping out of Chicago
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
cheaper each month than Chicago
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
32% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
3.07%
$157/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,600/mo
$849 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$311k
15% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
433k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in reading.
Chicago only manages 153 of those.
98% fewer events than Chicago. The pace eases up.
65/100
7% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: French Creek State Park, 9.6 mi.
85/100
15% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
0
100% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
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