01 · the cities
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is the University of Michigan, with the Big House (Michigan Stadium) holding over 107,000 people on football Saturdays, making it briefly the third-largest city in Michigan. Downtown is tree-lined brick streets, great independent bookstores, and a food scene with strong Middle Eastern and Korean energy. Zingerman's Deli is a national pilgrimage. The Huron River runs through. College town energy at its best.
full dispatch→Minneapolis
Minneapolis is 22 lakes inside city limits, an extensive skyway system that lets you cross downtown in February without a coat, and a music legacy that runs from Prince to The Replacements. Summer is a glorious lake-jumping, ice-cream-licking festival. Winter is sauna-and-skate season, with rinks on every lake and cross-country trails stitched through the city. Walleye is on every menu.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,082/mo
$1,679/mo
$403/mo less than Ann Arbor (24%)
Median home price
Median home price
$429k
$398k
$31k less than Ann Arbor
State income tax
State income tax
4.3%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,897/mo
$6,000/mo
Minneapolis has $103/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
154 days
147 days
7 fewer than Ann Arbor
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
51 days
84 days
days below 20°F per year
Minneapolis drops below 20°F on 33 more days per year than Ann Arbor.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
56 / 100
76 / 100
20.0 pts ahead of Ann Arbor
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
135 routes
130 routes
5 fewer direct routes than Ann Arbor
Metro size
Metro size
366k metro
3.7M metro
Ann Arbor has 11.2x fewer events per month than Minneapolis.
the verdict
4
Ann Arbor
categories won
4
Minneapolis
categories won
Ann Arbor wins on weather, Minneapolis wins on money. Dead even.
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