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→Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a three-mile boardwalk, a giant Neptune statue keeping watch, and Atlantic surf that's warm in August and gentle in September. The military presence (Navy and Air Force) gives the city a structured, welcoming feel. False Cape and Back Bay nature areas are wild marshland just south of the high-rises. October on the boardwalk might be the prettiest month on the East Coast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,819/mo
$1,326/mo less than Boston (73%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$375k
$396k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,035/mo
Virginia Beach has $1,263/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
211 days
51 more 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
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Boston drops below 20°F on 31 more days per year than Virginia Beach.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
57 / 100
14.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
17 routes
86 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
1.8M metro
Boston has 5.6x more events per month than Virginia Beach.
the verdict
3
Boston
categories won
5
Virginia Beach
categories won
Virginia Beach wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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