01 · the cities
Montgomery
Montgomery is civil rights ground zero: Rosa Parks' bus, the start of the Selma march, Dr. King's Dexter Avenue church. The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (the lynching memorial) are essential and devastating in equal measure. The city is also the Alabama state capital, with the river curving past, and the food and music scenes have grown up in the last decade. Heavy and beautiful.
full dispatch→Columbus
Columbus is on the Chattahoochee River, with the longest urban whitewater course in the world (since 2013) running right through downtown for rafting and surfing waves. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) is the city's anchor. The Riverwalk stretches for miles. The downtown has come back nicely with restaurants and breweries. Smaller and friendlier than the city's industrial reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,376/mo
$1,264/mo
$112/mo less than Montgomery (9%)
Median home price
Median home price
$212k
$208k
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,541/mo
$6,612/mo
Columbus has $71/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
181 days
177 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
29 days
39 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Montgomery.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
44 / 100
47 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Montgomery
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
1 routes
Metro size
Metro size
385k metro
329k metro
Montgomery has 1.4x more events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
2
Montgomery
categories won
3
Columbus
categories won
Columbus wins on money and lifestyle. Montgomery has the edge on weather.
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