01 · the cities
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is beer (the Pabst and Miller legacy still hangs in the air), bratwurst (with the proper amount of mustard, please), and a Lake Michigan shoreline that goes on forever. Frozen custard is a regional specialty and a serious one. The Calatrava-designed art museum has wings that literally open and close on Lake Michigan. Friendly here means you'll have a new friend by the second beer.
full dispatch→Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids has won Beer City USA multiple times, hosts ArtPrize (one of the world's largest open art competitions every fall), and built itself on furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller). The Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park is a sleeper world-class attraction. Downtown is walkable, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous in autumn, and Lake Michigan beaches are 30 minutes west. Quietly excellent.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,504/mo
$1,620/mo
$116/mo more than Milwaukee (7%)
Median home price
Median home price
$394k
$353k
$42k less than Milwaukee
State income tax
State income tax
6.3%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,307/mo
$6,359/mo
Grand Rapids has $52/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
149 days
151 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
62 days
50 days
days below 20°F per year
Milwaukee drops below 20°F on 12 more days per year than Grand Rapids.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
61 / 100
56 / 100
5.0 pts behind Milwaukee
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
30 routes
20 routes
10 fewer direct routes than Milwaukee
Metro size
Metro size
1.6M metro
1.2M metro
Milwaukee and Grand Rapids have similar event volume.
the verdict
3
Milwaukee
categories won
4
Grand Rapids
categories won
Grand Rapids wins on money and weather. Milwaukee has the edge on lifestyle.
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