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→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
$2,665/mo
$1,488/mo
$1,177/mo less than Miami (79%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$324k
$240k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,470/mo
Lexington has $802/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
171 days
101 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
19 days
days below 20°F per year
Lexington drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Miami.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
60 / 100
17.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
13 routes
154 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
520k metro
Miami has 23.5x more events per month than Lexington.
the verdict
5
Miami
categories won
3
Lexington
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Lexington has the edge on money.
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