01 · the cities
Dallas
Dallas is Stetsons next to skyscrapers, Tex-Mex with queso flowing freely, and a barbecue scene that quietly competes with Austin's. The arts district downtown is enormous and free to wander, while Bishop Arts and Deep Ellum bring the indie energy. Football is its own religion (high school, college, and Cowboys all year round). The bigness is real, and the city wears it well.
full dispatch→Fort Collins
Fort Collins is the home of New Belgium Brewing (Fat Tire's origin) and a thriving craft beer scene with more breweries than Boulder. Old Town's brick streets and historic storefronts are charming enough that they're said to have influenced Disney's Main Street USA designers. CSU keeps the energy young. The foothills rise right outside town, and Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away. Quieter than Boulder, less expensive.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,647/mo
$1,971/mo
$324/mo more than Dallas (16%)
Median home price
Median home price
$367k
$572k
$205k more than Dallas
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,686/mo
$5,996/mo
Dallas has $690/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
171 days
177 days
6 more than Dallas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
40 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
2 days
44 days
days below 20°F per year
Dallas has 29 more days above 95°F each year than Fort Collins. Fort Collins drops below 20°F on 42 more days per year than Dallas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
57 / 100
69 / 100
12.0 pts ahead of Dallas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
190 routes
169 routes
21 fewer direct routes than Dallas
Metro size
Metro size
8.1M metro
371k metro
Dallas has 440.0x more events per month than Fort Collins.
the verdict
6
Dallas
categories won
3
Fort Collins
categories won
Dallas wins on money. Fort Collins has the edge on weather.
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