01 · the cities
Lakeland
Lakeland has the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world, on the Florida Southern College campus (designed in the 1940s, all skylights and copper). The city sits between Tampa and Orlando, with actual swans patrolling its namesake downtown lake (the city even has a swan management program). Publix is headquartered here, which Floridians treat as a point of pride.
full dispatch→Memphis
Memphis is dry-rub ribs, Beale Street neon, and the rooms where Stax and Sun Records changed pop music forever. Graceland is a tourist pilgrimage that's still genuinely moving. The Mississippi rolls past, the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel is essential, and the BBQ debate (rib joints vs. the chopped-pork houses) is a local pastime. Soulful in the literal sense.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,834/mo
$1,436/mo
$398/mo less than Lakeland (28%)
Median home price
Median home price
$301k
$244k
$58k less than Lakeland
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,499/mo
$6,897/mo
Memphis has $398/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
206 days
185 days
21 fewer than Lakeland
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
13 days
6 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
5 days
days below 20°F per year
Lakeland has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Memphis. Memphis drops below 20°F on 5 more days per year than Lakeland.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
48 / 100
56 / 100
8.0 pts ahead of Lakeland
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
68 routes
32 routes
36 fewer direct routes than Lakeland
Metro size
Metro size
818k metro
1.3M metro
Lakeland has 3.0x fewer events per month than Memphis.
the verdict
3
Lakeland
categories won
5
Memphis
categories won
Memphis wins on money. Lakeland has the edge on weather.
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