$100k salary, packing up from Philadelphia

change
Washington, DC cityscape

if you left philadelphia

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

$623

the monthly cost of moving past Philadelphia

Washington runs a little pricier than Philadelphia. The case has to be about something other than rent.
landable, recorded on the washington entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,352/mo

26% more expensive than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)

02state income tax

8.5%

$140/mo more in state tax than Philadelphia

vs 6.82% in Philadelphia

03after rent

$5,273/mo

$623 less than Philadelphia

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

04a house here

$626k

59% more expensive than Philadelphia

vs $393k in Philadelphia

05metro size

6.3M

vs 6.2M in Philadelphia

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

177

pleasant days a year, in washington.

Philadelphia barely cracks 173 pleasant ones.

On par with Philadelphia for events and shows.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

26% higher than Philadelphia

vs 69/100 in Philadelphia

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

·walk score®

98/100

2% lower than Philadelphia

vs 100/100 in Philadelphia

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

160

31% more than Philadelphia

vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia

04 · see also

neighbors of washington on the map of tradeoffs:

compare washington with: