01 · the cities
Charlotte
Charlotte is banking towers (it's the second-biggest banking center in the country after NYC) wrapped in pine trees and southern hospitality. Uptown is the downtown (Charlotteans correct you on this immediately), the NASCAR Hall of Fame anchors a real motorsport scene, and the Whitewater Center lets you raft inside the city limits. Growth is fast, breweries are everywhere, and barbecue gets the Carolina vinegar treatment.
full dispatch→Philadelphia
Philadelphia is cheesesteaks (the Pat's vs. Geno's argument is mostly theater), the Italian Market, and the Liberty Bell sitting modestly in a glass pavilion. Murals are everywhere (the city runs the largest public art program in the country). The Eagles fans climbing light poles is folklore for a reason. The food scene punches way above its weight and the bar scene knows it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,728/mo
$1,869/mo
$141/mo more than Charlotte (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$391k
$393k
State income tax
State income tax
4.5%
6.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,230/mo
$5,896/mo
Charlotte has $334/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
200 days
173 days
27 fewer than Charlotte
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
7 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
3 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Charlotte has 5 more days above 95°F each year than Philadelphia. Philadelphia drops below 20°F on 18 more days per year than Charlotte.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
51 / 100
69 / 100
18.0 pts ahead of Charlotte
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
141 routes
122 routes
19 fewer direct routes than Charlotte
Metro size
Metro size
2.8M metro
6.2M metro
Charlotte has 1.6x fewer events per month than Philadelphia.
the verdict
6
Charlotte
categories won
2
Philadelphia
categories won
Charlotte leads on money and weather and wins overall.
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