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→Austin
Austin runs on breakfast tacos, live music, and a stubborn streak of weirdness that the tech boom hasn't fully smoothed over. The east side reinvents itself every few years and still has the vinyl shops, vintage western wear, and honky-tonks to prove it. Barton Springs holds 68°F year-round and locals plan their summers around it. There's a swimming hole, a taco truck, or a guitar within five blocks of wherever you're standing.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,583/mo
$1,562/mo less than Boston (99%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$433k
$337k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,750/mo
Austin has $1,978/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
170 days
10 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
53 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Austin has 51 more days above 95°F each year than Boston. Boston drops below 20°F on 32 more days per year than Austin.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
56 / 100
15.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
42 routes
61 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
2.5M metro
Boston has 1.4x more events per month than Austin.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
6
Austin
categories won
Austin wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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