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→Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,895/mo
$1,250/mo less than Boston (66%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$351k
$420k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,438/mo
Melbourne has $1,666/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
254 days
94 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
0 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 Melbourne.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
55 / 100
16.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
2 routes
101 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
644k metro
the verdict
2
Boston
categories won
6
Melbourne
categories won
Melbourne wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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