$100k a year, no longer in Chicago
changea dispatch from
tallahassee
FL
30.44°N
84.28°W
Tallahassee feels more like south Georgia than Florida: oak canopies, rolling hills, and red clay. It's the state capital, home to Florida State (Seminole football is a religion) and FAMU, and surrounded by some of the best springs in the country (Wakulla and Wakulla Springs State Park are 20 minutes south). The food scene leans southern with serious Cuban influence. Cooler in summer than the rest of the state.
the verdict
less monthly outlay than Chicago
In Tallahassee, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
a quick ledger.
$1,527/mo
30% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
0%
$412/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,806/mo
$1,055 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$289k
21% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
393k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
186
pleasant days a year, in tallahassee.
Chicago only manages 153 of those. Summer is real but not punishing: 35 days top 95° vs Chicago's 1.
Lighter on events: Chicago packs 647.5× more into a month.
58/100
17% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, 15.6 mi.
77/100
23% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
7
97% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
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