on $100k a year, leaving Columbia
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 Columbia
Reading gives you room Columbia doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
a quick ledger.
$1,478/mo
5% cheaper than Columbia(vs $1,551/mo)
3.07%
$286/mo less in state tax than Columbia
vs 6.5% in Columbia
$6,600/mo
$359 more than Columbia
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$311k
22% more expensive than Columbia
vs $255k in Columbia
433k
vs 857k in Columbia
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in reading.
Columbia edges ahead with 189 pleasant days. A real winter, not a brutal one: 32 days under 20°, vs 2 in Columbia.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 1.5× more on the calendar than Columbia.
65/100
18% higher than Columbia
vs 55/100 in Columbia
Closest outdoor draw: French Creek State Park, 9.6 mi.
85/100
0% lower than Columbia
vs 85/100 in Columbia
0
100% fewer than Columbia
vs 10 nonstops in Columbia
compare reading with:
