$100k salary, packing up from Ann Arbor
changea dispatch from
springfield
MA
42.10°N
72.59°W
Springfield is where basketball was invented in 1891 (the Basketball Hall of Fame is right here), and where Dr. Seuss grew up (there's a sculpture garden downtown). The city's old industrial buildings are slowly coming back, and the surrounding Pioneer Valley is one of the prettiest stretches in New England. UMass is just up the road. Quieter than Boston, much cheaper.
in our guides
the verdict
below Ann Arbor's monthly cost
Money-wise it's a wash. The case for Springfield is everything that isn't rent.
a quick ledger.
$1,913/mo
8% cheaper than Ann Arbor(vs $2,082/mo)
5%
$63/mo more in state tax than Ann Arbor
vs 4.25% in Ann Arbor
$6,004/mo
$107 more than Ann Arbor
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$373k
13% cheaper than Ann Arbor
vs $429k in Ann Arbor
460k
vs 366k in Ann Arbor
field notes, weather & such.
147
pleasant days a year, in springfield.
Ann Arbor gets 154 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.
But the calendar thins out: Ann Arbor stays 2.3× busier.
66/100
18% higher than Ann Arbor
vs 56/100 in Ann Arbor
Closest outdoor draw: New England National Scenic Trail, 13.7 mi.
87/100
10% lower than Ann Arbor
vs 97/100 in Ann Arbor
26
81% fewer than Ann Arbor
vs 135 nonstops in Ann Arbor
if springfield appeals, also worth a look:
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