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→Portland
Portland Maine is lobster rolls, lighthouses (Portland Head Light is the brochure), a working waterfront where fishing boats still come in, and a food scene that has the same per-capita acclaim as the much bigger Portland Oregon. The Old Port's brick streets, breweries, and harbor views are walkable in an afternoon. Casco Bay's islands are a ferry ride away. Tiny, dense, and seriously delicious.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$2,285/mo
$860/mo less than Boston (38%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$543k
$228k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
7.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$5,423/mo
Portland has $651/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
145 days
15 fewer 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
19 days
days below 20°F per year
Boston drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than Portland.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
71 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
2 routes
101 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
566k metro
Boston has 5.4x more events per month than Portland.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
4
Portland
categories won
Portland wins on money. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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