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→Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,767/mo
$1,895/mo
$872/mo less than Bridgeport (46%)
Median home price
Median home price
$768k
$351k
$417k less than Bridgeport
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,108/mo
$6,438/mo
Melbourne has $1,330/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
254 days
82 more than Bridgeport
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
15 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Bridgeport drops below 20°F on 15 more days per year than Melbourne.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
64 / 100
55 / 100
9.0 pts behind Bridgeport
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
1 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
952k metro
644k metro
the verdict
1
Bridgeport
categories won
6
Melbourne
categories won
Melbourne wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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