01 · the cities
Harrisburg
Harrisburg is the Pennsylvania state capital sitting on the Susquehanna River, with a gorgeous Beaux-Arts capitol building (Theodore Roosevelt called it the handsomest building he ever saw). City Island in the middle of the river is a small park with minor league baseball. Hershey is 15 minutes east (yes, that Hershey). Slower-paced than its metro neighbors.
full dispatch→Buffalo
Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,446/mo
$1,374/mo
$72/mo less than Harrisburg (5%)
Median home price
Median home price
$309k
$280k
$29k less than Harrisburg
State income tax
State income tax
3.1%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,632/mo
$6,472/mo
Harrisburg has $160/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
152 days
152 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
3 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
33 days
42 days
days below 20°F per year
Buffalo drops below 20°F on 9 more days per year than Harrisburg.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
66 / 100
3.0 pts behind Harrisburg
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
12 routes
20 routes
8 more direct routes than Harrisburg
Metro size
Metro size
606k metro
1.2M metro
Harrisburg has 2.1x fewer events per month than Buffalo.
the verdict
4
Harrisburg
categories won
3
Buffalo
categories won
Harrisburg leads on weather and wins overall.
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