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→Anchorage
Anchorage is the city where moose sometimes wander into downtown, the Chugach Mountains tower right behind your office, and summer days run 19 hours long. The Iditarod sled-dog race kicks off from here every March. The food scene leans heavily on the world-class salmon and halibut coming off the boats. Winter brings the northern lights flickering above the mountains and the kind of quiet you only find this far north. Wild edge.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,713/mo
$1,432/mo less than Boston (84%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$438k
$332k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,620/mo
Anchorage has $1,848/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
93 days
67 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
91 days
days below 20°F per year
Anchorage drops below 20°F on 58 more days per year than Boston.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
68 / 100
3.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
34 routes
69 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
401k metro
the verdict
4
Boston
categories won
4
Anchorage
categories won
Boston wins on weather and lifestyle, Anchorage wins on money. Dead even.
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