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→New Orleans
New Orleans doesn't run on time, it runs on rhythm. The brass bands roll second-line parades through the streets for weddings, funerals, and Tuesdays, the gumbo is a personality test, and the French Quarter's wrought-iron balconies look exactly like the postcards. Mardi Gras is real life here, not a stunt. The air carries beignet sugar, river mist, and someone's trumpet warming up two blocks over.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,612/mo
$1,533/mo less than Boston (95%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$259k
$512k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,471/mo
New Orleans has $1,699/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
235 days
75 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 New Orleans.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
55 / 100
16.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
39 routes
64 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
962k metro
Boston has 1.8x more events per month than New Orleans.
the verdict
2
Boston
categories won
6
New Orleans
categories won
New Orleans wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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