01 · the cities
Chicago
Chicago is deep-dish for tourists, thin-crust tavern style for locals, and a hot dog that absolutely will not have ketchup on it. The L rumbles overhead, the lakefront stretches for 18 unbroken miles of beach and trail, and the architecture boat tour is the single best $50 you'll spend. Summer in Chicago might be the best summer in America. The improv comedy gene pool is unmatched.
full dispatch→Atlanta
Atlanta is hip-hop's current capital, with 'Peachtree' in seemingly every other street name and the busiest airport in the world acting as the city's front door. The Beltline turned old rail corridors into a 22-mile loop of murals, breweries, and joggers. Food culture spans soul food, Vietnamese banh mi in Buford Highway strip malls, and barbecue. The tree canopy is one of the densest in any major American city.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,170/mo
$1,814/mo
$356/mo less than Chicago (20%)
Median home price
Median home price
$365k
$386k
$21k more than Chicago
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,751/mo
$6,062/mo
Atlanta has $311/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
153 days
204 days
51 more than Chicago
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
38 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Chicago drops below 20°F on 36 more days per year than Atlanta.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
70 / 100
67 / 100
3.0 pts behind Chicago
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
217 routes
217 routes
Metro size
Metro size
9.3M metro
6.3M metro
Chicago has 5.4x more events per month than Atlanta.
the verdict
3
Chicago
categories won
4
Atlanta
categories won
Atlanta wins on weather. Chicago has the edge on lifestyle.
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