on $100k a year, leaving Houston
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
pricier each month than Houston
A small premium for South Bend. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$1,391/mo
14% cheaper than Houston(vs $1,610/mo)
3%
$250/mo more in state tax than Houston
vs 0% in Houston
$6,692/mo
$31 less than Houston
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$230k
26% cheaper than Houston
vs $311k in Houston
324k
vs 7.5M in Houston
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in south bend.
Houston has the edge here, logging 171 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 40 days below 20° vs Houston's 1.
But the calendar thins out: Houston stays 12.5× busier.
53/100
4% lower than Houston
vs 55/100 in Houston
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 62.8 mi.
82/100
6% higher than Houston
vs 77/100 in Houston
9
95% fewer than Houston
vs 176 nonstops in Houston
in the same ballpark as south bend:
