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→Philadelphia
Philadelphia is cheesesteaks (the Pat's vs. Geno's argument is mostly theater), the Italian Market, and the Liberty Bell sitting modestly in a glass pavilion. Murals are everywhere (the city runs the largest public art program in the country). The Eagles fans climbing light poles is folklore for a reason. The food scene punches way above its weight and the bar scene knows it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,082/mo
$1,869/mo
$213/mo less than Ann Arbor (11%)
Median home price
Median home price
$429k
$393k
$36k less than Ann Arbor
State income tax
State income tax
4.3%
6.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,897/mo
$5,896/mo
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
173 days
19 more than Ann Arbor
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
51 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Ann Arbor drops below 20°F on 30 more days per year than Philadelphia.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
56 / 100
69 / 100
13.0 pts ahead of Ann Arbor
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
135 routes
122 routes
13 fewer direct routes than Ann Arbor
Metro size
Metro size
366k metro
6.2M metro
Ann Arbor has 13.2x fewer events per month than Philadelphia.
the verdict
3
Ann Arbor
categories won
5
Philadelphia
categories won
Philadelphia leads on weather and wins overall.
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