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→Minneapolis
Minneapolis is 22 lakes inside city limits, an extensive skyway system that lets you cross downtown in February without a coat, and a music legacy that runs from Prince to The Replacements. Summer is a glorious lake-jumping, ice-cream-licking festival. Winter is sauna-and-skate season, with rinks on every lake and cross-country trails stitched through the city. Walleye is on every menu.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,679/mo
$1,466/mo less than Boston (87%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$398k
$372k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,000/mo
Minneapolis has $1,228/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
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
84 days
days below 20°F per year
Minneapolis drops below 20°F on 51 more days per year than Boston.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
76 / 100
5.0 pts ahead of Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
130 routes
27 more direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
3.7M metro
Boston and Minneapolis have similar event volume.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
5
Minneapolis
categories won
Minneapolis wins on money and lifestyle. Boston has the edge on weather.
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