$100k salary, packing up from Raleigh

change
Washington, DC cityscape

instead of raleigh

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

$1,022

the monthly premium over Raleigh

A real premium for Washington. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
landable, recorded on the washington entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,352/mo

41% more expensive than Raleigh(vs $1,663/mo)

02state income tax

8.5%

$333/mo more in state tax than Raleigh

vs 4.5% in Raleigh

03after rent

$5,273/mo

$1,022 less than Raleigh

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

04a house here

$626k

42% more expensive than Raleigh

vs $440k in Raleigh

05metro size

6.3M

vs 1.5M in Raleigh

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

177

pleasant days a year, in washington.

Raleigh has the edge here, logging 201 pleasant days a year.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 3.4× more on the calendar than Raleigh.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

50% higher than Raleigh

vs 58/100 in Raleigh

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

·walk score®

98/100

1% higher than Raleigh

vs 97/100 in Raleigh

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

160

310% more than Raleigh

vs 39 nonstops in Raleigh

04 · see also

neighbors of washington on the map of tradeoffs:

compare washington with: