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→Phoenix
Phoenix is sun, saguaros, and a valley so wide you can drive 45 minutes in a straight line and still be in greater Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert blooms wildly in spring, the monsoon storms in late summer are theatrical, and the hiking on Camelback or Piestewa Peak is a sunrise ritual. Pools and shaded patios are basically infrastructure, and the locals have the rhythm of a desert day dialed.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,739/mo
$1,406/mo less than Boston (81%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$458k
$313k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
2.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,386/mo
Phoenix has $1,614/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
181 days
21 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
133 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Phoenix has 131 more days above 95°F each year than Boston. Boston drops below 20°F on 33 more days per year than Phoenix.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
66 / 100
5.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
91 routes
12 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
5.1M metro
Boston has 1.2x fewer events per month than Phoenix.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
6
Phoenix
categories won
Phoenix wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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