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→South Bend
South Bend is Notre Dame, the Golden Dome, and the Touchdown Jesus mural visible from the football stadium. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown, and the East Bank district has the food and bar scene. The University of Notre Dame campus is genuinely beautiful (the basilica, the lakes, the grottos). Smaller than its national reputation suggests, with a steady college-town pulse.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,767/mo
$1,391/mo
$1,376/mo less than Bridgeport (99%)
Median home price
Median home price
$768k
$230k
$537k less than Bridgeport
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,108/mo
$6,692/mo
South Bend has $1,584/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
157 days
15 fewer 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
40 days
days below 20°F per year
South Bend drops below 20°F on 25 more days per year than Bridgeport.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
64 / 100
53 / 100
11.0 pts behind Bridgeport
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
1 routes
9 routes
8 more direct routes than Bridgeport
Metro size
Metro size
952k metro
324k metro
Bridgeport has 2.4x fewer events per month than South Bend.
the verdict
3
Bridgeport
categories won
5
South Bend
categories won
South Bend wins on money. Bridgeport has the edge on weather.
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