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→Fresno
Fresno sits at the heart of the most productive farm region in the world, with almonds, grapes, and stone fruit stretching to every horizon. It's the gateway to Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon (three of the country's best national parks all under two hours away). The food scene leans on incredible local produce and a deep Mexican and Hmong food culture. Underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,999/mo
$1,146/mo less than Boston (57%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$418k
$353k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$5,559/mo
Fresno has $787/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
206 days
46 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
107 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Fresno has 105 more days above 95°F each year than Boston. Boston drops below 20°F on 33 more days per year than Fresno.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
66 / 100
5.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
11 routes
92 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
1.2M metro
Boston has 4.4x more events per month than Fresno.
the verdict
4
Boston
categories won
5
Fresno
categories won
Fresno wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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