01 · the cities
Indianapolis
Indianapolis circles its downtown with a literal loop (the Mile Square) and hosts the Indy 500 every Memorial Day weekend like clockwork. Basketball is woven into the state DNA (Hoosiers, the movie, is essentially a documentary). The Cultural Trail connects six districts on bike-friendly paths through the heart of downtown. The food scene has quietly leveled up.
full dispatch→Birmingham
Birmingham was built on steel and reshaped by the civil rights movement, and you can feel both stories in the city. The Civil Rights Institute is essential, the food scene (Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club, plenty more) is one of the most acclaimed in the South. The Vulcan statue, the largest cast-iron statue in the world, looks down on the city from Red Mountain. Younger than its reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,511/mo
$1,407/mo
$104/mo less than Indianapolis (7%)
Median home price
Median home price
$296k
$261k
$35k less than Indianapolis
State income tax
State income tax
3.0%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,572/mo
$6,510/mo
Indianapolis has $62/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
171 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
28 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
30 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Birmingham has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Indianapolis. Indianapolis drops below 20°F on 26 more days per year than Birmingham.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
62 / 100
61 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
35 routes
20 routes
15 fewer direct routes than Indianapolis
Metro size
Metro size
2.1M metro
1.2M metro
Indianapolis and Birmingham have similar event volume.
the verdict
4
Indianapolis
categories won
3
Birmingham
categories won
Indianapolis leads on lifestyle and wins overall.
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