01 · the cities
Denver
Denver is a mile above sea level, an hour from a dozen ski resorts, and surrounded by mountains that make every west-facing window feel like a vacation. The air is dry, the sun shows up roughly 300 days a year, and craft beer is taken seriously enough to have its own annual pilgrimage (the Great American Beer Festival). Green chile is a hill people will die on. The patio season is essentially eternal.
full dispatch→Minneapolis
Minneapolis is 22 lakes inside city limits, an extensive skyway system that lets you cross downtown in February without a coat, and a music legacy that runs from Prince to The Replacements. Summer is a glorious lake-jumping, ice-cream-licking festival. Winter is sauna-and-skate season, with rinks on every lake and cross-country trails stitched through the city. Walleye is on every menu.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,863/mo
$1,679/mo
$184/mo less than Denver (11%)
Median home price
Median home price
$599k
$398k
$201k less than Denver
State income tax
State income tax
4.4%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,104/mo
$6,000/mo
Denver has $104/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
174 days
147 days
27 fewer than Denver
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
8 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
66 days
84 days
days below 20°F per year
Denver has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Minneapolis. Minneapolis drops below 20°F on 18 more days per year than Denver.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
85 / 100
76 / 100
9.0 pts behind Denver
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
169 routes
130 routes
39 fewer direct routes than Denver
Metro size
Metro size
3.0M metro
3.7M metro
Denver has 2.9x more events per month than Minneapolis.
the verdict
6
Denver
categories won
3
Minneapolis
categories won
Denver leads on weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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