01 · the cities
Durham
Durham is Duke University, old tobacco warehouses turned into incredible restaurants and breweries (the American Tobacco Campus is a model for adaptive reuse), and a food scene that punches way above its size (multiple James Beard winners). Bull City pride runs deep. The Eno River and Duke Gardens are right in town. It's more diverse, weirder, and more interesting than outsiders expect.
full dispatch→Nashville
Nashville is honky-tonk neon on Broadway, hot chicken so spicy it counts as a personality test, and a music scene that includes way more than country (though country is the headliner). The Ryman Auditorium is still the most acoustically beloved room in American music. Bachelorette parties on pedal taverns are now a recognized weather pattern. Pack stretchy pants for the biscuits.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,684/mo
$1,790/mo
$106/mo more than Durham (6%)
Median home price
Median home price
$415k
$461k
$46k more than Durham
State income tax
State income tax
4.5%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,274/mo
$6,543/mo
Nashville has $269/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
178 days
173 days
5 fewer than Durham
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
5 days
8 days
days below 20°F per year
Durham has 15 more days above 95°F each year than Nashville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
50 / 100
56 / 100
6.0 pts ahead of Durham
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
39 routes
47 routes
8 more direct routes than Durham
Metro size
Metro size
609k metro
2.1M metro
Durham has 8.1x fewer events per month than Nashville.
the verdict
3
Durham
categories won
5
Nashville
categories won
Nashville leads on lifestyle and wins overall.
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