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→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
$2,767/mo
$1,675/mo
$1,092/mo less than Bridgeport (65%)
Median home price
Median home price
$768k
$448k
$320k less than Bridgeport
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,108/mo
$6,283/mo
Wilmington has $1,175/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
235 days
63 more than Bridgeport
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
15 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Bridgeport drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than Wilmington.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
64 / 100
54 / 100
10.0 pts behind Bridgeport
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
1 routes
5 routes
4 more direct routes than Bridgeport
Metro size
Metro size
952k metro
467k metro
Bridgeport has 2.9x fewer events per month than Wilmington.
the verdict
1
Bridgeport
categories won
7
Wilmington
categories won
Wilmington wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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