on $100k a year, leaving Lexington
changea dispatch from
tucson
AZ
32.25°N
110.91°W
Tucson is the first U.S. city named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the Sonoran hot dogs alone justify the trip. The saguaros stand around like skinny green sentries, the mountains ring the city in every direction, and the sunsets do that thing where the whole sky turns watermelon. The University of Arizona keeps the energy young. The monsoons in July are genuinely thrilling, and the dry desert nights keep the patios full long after dark.
in our guides
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than Lexington
Tucson gives you room Lexington doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
3% cheaper than Lexington(vs $1,488/mo)
2.5%
$167/mo less in state tax than Lexington
vs 4.5% in Lexington
$6,681/mo
$211 more than Lexington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
9% more expensive than Lexington
vs $324k in Lexington
1.1M
vs 520k in Lexington
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Lexington barely cracks 171 pleasant ones. Summer asks for something in return: 94 days top 95° here, 1 in Lexington.
A similar weekend lineup to Lexington.
66/100
10% higher than Lexington
vs 60/100 in Lexington
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
24% lower than Lexington
vs 88/100 in Lexington
16
23% more than Lexington
vs 13 nonstops in Lexington
compare tucson with:
