on $100k a year, leaving Birmingham
changea dispatch from
south bend
IN
41.68°N
86.25°W
South Bend is Notre Dame, the Golden Dome, and the Touchdown Jesus mural visible from the football stadium. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown, and the East Bank district has the food and bar scene. The University of Notre Dame campus is genuinely beautiful (the basilica, the lakes, the grottos). Smaller than its national reputation suggests, with a steady college-town pulse.
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than Birmingham
Money-wise it's a wash. The case for South Bend is everything that isn't rent.
a quick ledger.
$1,391/mo
1% cheaper than Birmingham(vs $1,407/mo)
3%
$167/mo less in state tax than Birmingham
vs 5% in Birmingham
$6,692/mo
$182 more than Birmingham
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$230k
12% cheaper than Birmingham
vs $261k in Birmingham
324k
vs 1.2M in Birmingham
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in south bend.
Birmingham gets 171 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Winter has bite, though: 40 days drop below 20° vs Birmingham's 4.
Noticeably quieter than Birmingham. About 81% fewer events on a typical month.
53/100
13% lower than Birmingham
vs 61/100 in Birmingham
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 62.8 mi.
82/100
4% higher than Birmingham
vs 79/100 in Birmingham
9
55% fewer than Birmingham
vs 20 nonstops in Birmingham
same energy as south bend, different zip code:
