01 · the cities
Columbus
Columbus is Ohio State on autumn Saturdays (the Horseshoe holds 100,000+ and they all wear scarlet), German Village's cobblestone streets and brick cottages, and a Short North gallery scene that punches well above its weight. It's quietly become a test market for the rest of America because the demographics line up so neatly. The food scene leans young, weird, and good. 'Buckeyes' here can mean either the football team or the chocolate-peanut-butter candy.
full dispatch→Birmingham
Birmingham was built on steel and reshaped by the civil rights movement, and you can feel both stories in the city. The Civil Rights Institute is essential, the food scene (Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club, plenty more) is one of the most acclaimed in the South. The Vulcan statue, the largest cast-iron statue in the world, looks down on the city from Red Mountain. Younger than its reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,511/mo
$1,407/mo
$104/mo less than Columbus (7%)
Median home price
Median home price
$350k
$261k
$89k less than Columbus
State income tax
State income tax
4.0%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,490/mo
$6,510/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
171 days
171 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
28 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
29 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Birmingham has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Columbus. Columbus drops below 20°F on 25 more days per year than Birmingham.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
57 / 100
61 / 100
4.0 pts ahead of Columbus
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
32 routes
20 routes
12 fewer direct routes than Columbus
Metro size
Metro size
2.2M metro
1.2M metro
Columbus has 1.3x more events per month than Birmingham.
the verdict
3
Columbus
categories won
5
Birmingham
categories won
Birmingham leads on money and wins overall.
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