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→Mobile
Mobile threw the first Mardi Gras in America (1703, predating New Orleans), and the city still celebrates it with the same parade-and-moon-pie energy. The historic district has wrought-iron balconies and live oaks dripping Spanish moss. Mobile Bay seafood (especially fried shrimp and crab claws) is the local star. It's Gulf Coast, French-Spanish-British-Creole layered, and chiller than its bigger neighbors.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,302/mo
$1,843/mo less than Boston (142%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$194k
$577k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,615/mo
Mobile has $1,843/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
225 days
65 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Boston drops below 20°F on 33 more days per year than Mobile.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
59 / 100
12.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
5 routes
98 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
412k metro
Boston has 7.0x more events per month than Mobile.
the verdict
2
Boston
categories won
5
Mobile
categories won
Mobile wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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