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→Worcester
Worcester (pronounced 'WOO-stuh', please) is triple-deckers, classic American diners (the city helped invent the diner), and a college-heavy student population (Clark, Holy Cross, WPI, and a dozen more). The smiley face was invented here in 1963. It's central Massachusetts' working-class anchor and quietly gaining a real food scene. Cheaper than Boston, an hour away when you need it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,145/mo
$2,140/mo
$1,005/mo less than Boston (47%)
Median home price
Median home price
$771k
$486k
$285k less than Boston
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,772/mo
$5,777/mo
Worcester has $1,005/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
148 days
12 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
55 days
days below 20°F per year
Worcester drops below 20°F on 22 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
2 routes
101 fewer direct routes than Boston
Metro size
Metro size
4.9M metro
867k metro
Boston has 5.6x more events per month than Worcester.
the verdict
4
Boston
categories won
3
Worcester
categories won
Boston wins on weather and lifestyle. Worcester has the edge on money.
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