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→Lexington
Lexington is the Thoroughbred horse capital of the world, with bluegrass-fed horse farms surrounding the city in white-fenced perfection. Keeneland racetrack is one of the most beautiful in the world. The bourbon trail starts right here. Downtown is small but tightening up nicely with food and bars. The University of Kentucky's blue bleeds through everything.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,511/mo
$1,488/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$296k
$324k
$29k more than Indianapolis
State income tax
State income tax
3.0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,572/mo
$6,470/mo
Indianapolis has $102/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
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
30 days
19 days
days below 20°F per year
Indianapolis drops below 20°F on 11 more days per year than Lexington.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
62 / 100
60 / 100
2.0 pts behind Indianapolis
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
35 routes
13 routes
22 fewer direct routes than Indianapolis
Metro size
Metro size
2.1M metro
520k metro
Indianapolis has 2.1x more events per month than Lexington.
the verdict
5
Indianapolis
categories won
1
Lexington
categories won
Indianapolis wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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