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→Syracuse
Syracuse averages around 120 inches of snow per year, which is the most of any major U.S. city, and locals wear it like a badge. The Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome) is the largest on-campus arena in the country. The food scene leans Italian (Salt City was an Italian immigrant hub) and excellent. The Finger Lakes are right next door. Bring boots.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,619/mo
$1,526/mo less than Boston (94%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$254k
$517k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,227/mo
Syracuse has $1,455/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
142 days
18 fewer than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
53 days
days below 20°F per year
Syracuse drops below 20°F on 20 more days per year than Boston.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
59 / 100
12.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
16 routes
87 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
653k metro
Boston has 2.4x more events per month than Syracuse.
the verdict
5
Boston
categories won
3
Syracuse
categories won
Boston wins on weather and lifestyle. Syracuse has the edge on money.
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