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→Roanoke
Roanoke is the Star City of the South, named for the enormous illuminated star on Mill Mountain that's been lighting up the valley since 1949. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs right past town. The downtown has come back beautifully with the Taubman Museum, breweries, and a thriving market. The surrounding mountains are gorgeous in every season. Smaller and more scenic than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,382/mo
$1,763/mo less than Boston (128%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$296k
$475k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,472/mo
Roanoke has $1,700/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
179 days
19 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Boston drops below 20°F on 12 more days per year than Roanoke.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
69 / 100
2.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
9 routes
94 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
314k metro
Boston has 14.0x more events per month than Roanoke.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
5
Roanoke
categories won
Roanoke wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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