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→Boulder
Boulder is the Flatirons rising right behind town, the Pearl Street Mall pedestrian shopping, and a population that runs more, climbs more, and bikes more than basically any other American city. CU keeps it young, the foothills keep it active, and the food scene leans organic-virtuous. The access to the Rockies is unmatched and the sunshine is relentless, and locals invest in the city like it's a lifestyle, not just an address.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,170/mo
$2,216/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$365k
$783k
$418k more than Chicago
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,751/mo
$5,751/mo
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
178 days
25 more than Chicago
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
38 days
42 days
days below 20°F per year
Boulder has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Chicago.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
70 / 100
79 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of Chicago
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
217 routes
169 routes
48 fewer direct routes than Chicago
Metro size
Metro size
9.3M metro
327k metro
Chicago has 215.8x more events per month than Boulder.
the verdict
3
Chicago
categories won
3
Boulder
categories won
Chicago and Boulder split the categories evenly.
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