$100k salary, packing up from Lexington
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
under Lexington, every month
The gap is real. South Bend costs noticeably less than Lexington, every month.
a quick ledger.
$1,391/mo
7% cheaper than Lexington(vs $1,488/mo)
3%
$125/mo less in state tax than Lexington
vs 4.5% in Lexington
$6,692/mo
$222 more than Lexington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$230k
29% cheaper than Lexington
vs $324k in Lexington
324k
vs 520k in Lexington
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in south bend.
Lexington actually gets more: 171 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 40 days below 20° vs Lexington's 19.
Lighter on events: Lexington packs 2.5× more into a month.
53/100
12% lower than Lexington
vs 60/100 in Lexington
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 62.8 mi.
82/100
7% lower than Lexington
vs 88/100 in Lexington
9
31% fewer than Lexington
vs 13 nonstops in Lexington
cities that play in south bend's register:
