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→Syracuse
Syracuse averages around 120 inches of snow per year, which is the most of any major U.S. city, and locals wear it like a badge. The Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome) is the largest on-campus arena in the country. The food scene leans Italian (Salt City was an Italian immigrant hub) and excellent. The Finger Lakes are right next door. Bring boots.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,504/mo
$1,619/mo
$115/mo more than Milwaukee (7%)
Median home price
Median home price
$394k
$254k
$140k less than Milwaukee
State income tax
State income tax
6.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,307/mo
$6,227/mo
Milwaukee has $80/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
142 days
7 fewer than Milwaukee
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
62 days
53 days
days below 20°F per year
Milwaukee drops below 20°F on 9 more days per year than Syracuse.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
61 / 100
59 / 100
2.0 pts behind Milwaukee
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
30 routes
16 routes
14 fewer direct routes than Milwaukee
Metro size
Metro size
1.6M metro
653k metro
Milwaukee and Syracuse have similar event volume.
the verdict
5
Milwaukee
categories won
3
Syracuse
categories won
Milwaukee leads on lifestyle and wins overall.
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