01 · the cities
Lubbock
Lubbock is Texas Tech, Buddy Holly's hometown (the museum downtown is a delight), and the heart of West Texas cotton country. The flatness goes on forever, the sunsets are huge, and the wide sky makes every night feel like a planetarium. The food scene leans BBQ and Tex-Mex. The Llano Estacado wine region is right outside town. Friendly and quietly cool.
full dispatch→Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne sits where three rivers meet (the St. Joseph, the St. Marys, and the Maumee), and the riverfront has been transforming into a real public space. The Children's Zoo is consistently ranked among the country's best. It's the second-largest city in Indiana, with the friendly small-town feel still intact. Cheap, easy, and quietly improving.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,384/mo
$1,187/mo
$197/mo less than Lubbock (17%)
Median home price
Median home price
$211k
$254k
$43k more than Lubbock
State income tax
State income tax
0%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,949/mo
$6,896/mo
Lubbock has $53/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
186 days
161 days
25 fewer than Lubbock
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
61 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
7 days
38 days
days below 20°F per year
Lubbock has 61 more days above 95°F each year than Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne drops below 20°F on 31 more days per year than Lubbock.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
5 / 100
46 / 100
41.0 pts ahead of Lubbock
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
7 routes
10 routes
3 more direct routes than Lubbock
Metro size
Metro size
360k metro
458k metro
Lubbock has 2.6x fewer events per month than Fort Wayne.
the verdict
5
Lubbock
categories won
4
Fort Wayne
categories won
Lubbock wins on money and weather. Fort Wayne has the edge on lifestyle.
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