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→South Bend
South Bend is Notre Dame, the Golden Dome, and the Touchdown Jesus mural visible from the football stadium. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown, and the East Bank district has the food and bar scene. The University of Notre Dame campus is genuinely beautiful (the basilica, the lakes, the grottos). Smaller than its national reputation suggests, with a steady college-town pulse.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,376/mo
$1,391/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$212k
$230k
$19k more than Montgomery
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,541/mo
$6,692/mo
South Bend has $151/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
157 days
24 fewer than Montgomery
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
29 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
40 days
days below 20°F per year
Montgomery has 29 more days above 95°F each year than South Bend. South Bend drops below 20°F on 39 more days per year than Montgomery.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
44 / 100
53 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of Montgomery
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
9 routes
6 more direct routes than Montgomery
Metro size
Metro size
385k metro
324k metro
Montgomery has 1.9x more events per month than South Bend.
the verdict
3
Montgomery
categories won
5
South Bend
categories won
South Bend wins on money and lifestyle. Montgomery has the edge on weather.
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