01 · the cities
Houston
Houston has no zoning laws (you'll see a taco truck next to a mansion next to a strip mall), the most diverse food scene in America by most rankings, and NASA's mission control out on the edge of town. The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world. It's sprawling and culturally enormous, with a Vietnamese pho district, Nigerian jollof spots, and a Tex-Mex scene that takes itself seriously. Bigger than you think, in every direction.
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
$1,610/mo
$1,971/mo
$361/mo more than Houston (18%)
Median home price
Median home price
$311k
$572k
$261k more than Houston
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,723/mo
$5,996/mo
Houston has $727/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 Houston
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
54 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
44 days
days below 20°F per year
Houston has 43 more days above 95°F each year than Fort Collins. Fort Collins drops below 20°F on 43 more days per year than Houston.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
69 / 100
14.0 pts ahead of Houston
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
176 routes
169 routes
7 fewer direct routes than Houston
Metro size
Metro size
7.5M metro
371k metro
Houston has 212.0x more events per month than Fort Collins.
the verdict
6
Houston
categories won
3
Fort Collins
categories won
Houston wins on money. Fort Collins has the edge on weather.
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