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→Tucson
Tucson is the first U.S. city named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the Sonoran hot dogs alone justify the trip. The saguaros stand around like skinny green sentries, the mountains ring the city in every direction, and the sunsets do that thing where the whole sky turns watermelon. The University of Arizona keeps the energy young. The monsoons in July are genuinely thrilling, and the dry desert nights keep the patios full long after dark.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,444/mo
$1,701/mo less than Boston (118%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$352k
$418k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
2.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,681/mo
Tucson has $1,909/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
202 days
42 more than Boston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
94 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Tucson has 92 more days above 95°F each year than Boston. Boston drops below 20°F on 33 more days per year than Tucson.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
66 / 100
5.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
16 routes
87 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
1.1M metro
Boston has 5.1x more events per month than Tucson.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
6
Tucson
categories won
Tucson wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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