01 · the cities
Miami
Miami is Spanish before it's English, salsa before it's small talk, and a cortadito before it's a coffee. South Beach Art Deco glows pink at night, Wynwood is a city-sized mural, and the Cuban sandwiches in Little Havana could end fights. Summer is bath-warm ocean and ceiling fans turned up high, and October feels like everywhere else's perfect August. Bring linen.
full dispatch→Charlotte
Charlotte is banking towers (it's the second-biggest banking center in the country after NYC) wrapped in pine trees and southern hospitality. Uptown is the downtown (Charlotteans correct you on this immediately), the NASCAR Hall of Fame anchors a real motorsport scene, and the Whitewater Center lets you raft inside the city limits. Growth is fast, breweries are everywhere, and barbecue gets the Carolina vinegar treatment.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,728/mo
$937/mo less than Miami (54%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$391k
$173k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,230/mo
Charlotte has $562/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
272 days
200 days
72 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Charlotte has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Miami.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
51 / 100
26.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
141 routes
26 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
2.8M metro
Miami has 8.7x more events per month than Charlotte.
the verdict
5
Miami
categories won
3
Charlotte
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Charlotte has the edge on money.
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