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→Chattanooga
Chattanooga became the first city in the country to roll out gigabit fiber internet to every home (2010, via the municipal utility), which jump-started a tech and remote-work scene. Lookout Mountain rises right above town, with Ruby Falls' underground waterfall and Rock City's epic views. The Tennessee Riverwalk is gorgeous. The Choo Choo (old terminal turned hotel) is a fun stay.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,524/mo
$1,621/mo less than Boston (106%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$322k
$449k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,809/mo
Chattanooga has $2,037/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
167 days
7 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
5 days
days below 20°F per year
Chattanooga has 14 more days above 95°F each year than Boston. Boston drops below 20°F on 28 more days per year than Chattanooga.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
69 / 100
2.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
8 routes
95 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
580k metro
Boston has 7.3x more events per month than Chattanooga.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
6
Chattanooga
categories won
Chattanooga wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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