01 · the cities
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut, sitting on Long Island Sound with a working harbor and a real waterfront. P.T. Barnum lived here and the city's museum still pays tribute to his weird genius. It's a quick train ride to New York, with much cheaper housing and proper New England summers. The food scene punches above its weight, with old-school Portuguese and Brazilian spots packed every weekend.
full dispatch→Hickory
Hickory is North Carolina's furniture capital, with the Hickory Furniture Mart and the surrounding factories shaping the local economy. The downtown has come back nicely with breweries and a walkable feel. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town. Lake Hickory is right there for boating. Cheaper than the bigger NC cities, with mountain access an hour away.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,767/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,333/mo less than Bridgeport (93%)
Median home price
Median home price
$768k
$268k
$499k less than Bridgeport
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,108/mo
$6,524/mo
Hickory has $1,416/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
172 days
189 days
17 more than Bridgeport
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
15 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Hickory has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Bridgeport. Bridgeport drops below 20°F on 11 more days per year than Hickory.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
64 / 100
64 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
1 routes
0 routes
Metro size
Metro size
952k metro
370k metro
Bridgeport has 2.7x fewer events per month than Hickory.
the verdict
1
Bridgeport
categories won
6
Hickory
categories won
Hickory wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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