01 · the cities
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→Columbus
Columbus is Ohio State on autumn Saturdays (the Horseshoe holds 100,000+ and they all wear scarlet), German Village's cobblestone streets and brick cottages, and a Short North gallery scene that punches well above its weight. It's quietly become a test market for the rest of America because the demographics line up so neatly. The food scene leans young, weird, and good. 'Buckeyes' here can mean either the football team or the chocolate-peanut-butter candy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,436/mo
$1,511/mo
$75/mo more than Memphis (5%)
Median home price
Median home price
$244k
$350k
$106k more than Memphis
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,897/mo
$6,490/mo
Memphis has $407/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
185 days
171 days
14 fewer than Memphis
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
6 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
5 days
29 days
days below 20°F per year
Memphis has 6 more days above 95°F each year than Columbus. Columbus drops below 20°F on 24 more days per year than Memphis.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
56 / 100
57 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
32 routes
32 routes
Metro size
Metro size
1.3M metro
2.2M metro
Memphis has 3.2x fewer events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
6
Memphis
categories won
1
Columbus
categories won
Memphis wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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