01 · the cities
Boston
Boston is brick sidewalks, dive bars older than most states, and an accent that turns 'park the car' into a love language. The city is densely packed with colleges (Harvard, MIT, BU, BC, plus 30 more), which keeps it perpetually 22 years old in spirit. The Freedom Trail literally paints a red line through 400 years of American history. Dunkin' is not a chain here, it's a way of life.
full dispatch→Albany
Albany is one of the oldest chartered cities in America (1686), with the New York state capitol building wearing every architectural style from Romanesque to Victorian on different sides. The Hudson River and the surrounding Adirondacks and Berkshires give it a serious nature backbone. Five colleges feed in young energy, and Lark Street is the local main drag for food and bars. Quieter than its neighbors, and full of layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,643/mo
$1,502/mo less than Boston (91%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$361k
$410k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,203/mo
Albany has $1,431/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
160 days
147 days
13 fewer than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
62 days
days below 20°F per year
Albany drops below 20°F on 29 more days per year than Boston.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
72 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
19 routes
84 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
905k metro
Boston has 6.5x more events per month than Albany.
the verdict
4
Boston
categories won
3
Albany
categories won
Boston wins on weather and lifestyle. Albany has the edge on money.
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