01 · the cities
Buffalo
Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.
full dispatch→Syracuse
Syracuse averages around 120 inches of snow per year, which is the most of any major U.S. city, and locals wear it like a badge. The Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome) is the largest on-campus arena in the country. The food scene leans Italian (Salt City was an Italian immigrant hub) and excellent. The Finger Lakes are right next door. Bring boots.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,374/mo
$1,619/mo
$245/mo more than Buffalo (15%)
Median home price
Median home price
$280k
$254k
$25k less than Buffalo
State income tax
State income tax
5.9%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,472/mo
$6,227/mo
Buffalo has $245/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
152 days
142 days
10 fewer than Buffalo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
42 days
53 days
days below 20°F per year
Syracuse drops below 20°F on 11 more days per year than Buffalo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
66 / 100
59 / 100
7.0 pts behind Buffalo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
20 routes
16 routes
4 fewer direct routes than Buffalo
Metro size
Metro size
1.2M metro
653k metro
Buffalo and Syracuse have similar event volume.
the verdict
6
Buffalo
categories won
1
Syracuse
categories won
Buffalo wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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