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→Raleigh
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,663/mo
$1,482/mo less than Boston (89%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$440k
$330k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,295/mo
Raleigh has $1,523/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
201 days
41 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
5 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Boston drops below 20°F on 30 more days per year than Raleigh.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
58 / 100
13.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
39 routes
64 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
1.5M metro
Boston has 3.6x more events per month than Raleigh.
the verdict
2
Boston
categories won
6
Raleigh
categories won
Raleigh wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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