on $100k a year, leaving Charleston

change
Washington, DC cityscape

from charleston

Washington

dc · metro 6.3M

a dispatch from

washington

DC

38.91°N

77.04°W

Washington DC is power dressed in seersucker. The monuments glow at night, the Smithsonian museums are all free (yes, all of them), and the cherry blossoms in April make even cynical lobbyists pause for a selfie. It's one of the most international cities in America (embassies from everywhere), with food scenes to match. The vibe shifts every four years and the architecture stays magnificent through all of it.

metro6.3M

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$532

more each month than Charleston ran you

You'd pay for Washington. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
landable, recorded on the washington entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,352/mo

18% more expensive than Charleston(vs $1,987/mo)

02state income tax

8.5%

$167/mo more in state tax than Charleston

vs 6.5% in Charleston

03after rent

$5,273/mo

$532 less than Charleston

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$626k

45% more expensive than Charleston

vs $432k in Charleston

05metro size

6.3M

vs 849k in Charleston

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

177

pleasant days a year, in washington.

Charleston actually gets more: 212 pleasant days a year.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 3.9× more on the calendar than Charleston.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

30% higher than Charleston

vs 67/100 in Charleston

Closest outdoor draw: George Washington Memorial Parkway, 6.2 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

7% higher than Charleston

vs 92/100 in Charleston

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

160

700% more than Charleston

vs 20 nonstops in Charleston

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as washington:

compare washington with: