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→Wilmington
Wilmington has been called 'Hollywood East' for the volume of film and TV produced here (Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, and dozens of features). The historic riverfront on the Cape Fear is genuinely charming, and Wrightsville Beach is 15 minutes away. The food scene punches above its weight, especially seafood. UNCW keeps it youthful. A coastal city with both beach and downtown charm.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$1,675/mo
$1,470/mo less than Boston (88%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$448k
$323k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$6,283/mo
Wilmington has $1,511/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
235 days
75 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
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Boston drops below 20°F on 32 more days per year than Wilmington.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
54 / 100
17.0 pts behind Boston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
103 routes
5 routes
98 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
467k metro
Boston has 8.4x more events per month than Wilmington.
the verdict
2
Boston
categories won
6
Wilmington
categories won
Wilmington wins on money and weather. Boston has the edge on lifestyle.
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