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→Springfield
Springfield is the birthplace of Route 66 (the road was officially named in a meeting here in 1926), Bass Pro Shops' world headquarters, and the gateway to the Ozarks. Wonders of Wildlife (next to the Bass Pro store) is genuinely one of the best aquariums in America. The city itself is friendly, affordable, and surprisingly leafy. Branson is 30 miles south for the lake-and-show experience.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,376/mo
$1,249/mo
$127/mo less than Montgomery (10%)
Median home price
Median home price
$212k
$268k
$57k more than Montgomery
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,541/mo
$6,693/mo
Springfield has $152/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
170 days
11 fewer than Montgomery
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
29 days
12 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
20 days
days below 20°F per year
Montgomery has 17 more days above 95°F each year than Springfield. Springfield drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Montgomery.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
44 / 100
50 / 100
6.0 pts ahead of Montgomery
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
9 routes
6 more direct routes than Montgomery
Metro size
Metro size
385k metro
491k metro
Montgomery has 2.0x more events per month than Springfield.
the verdict
3
Montgomery
categories won
6
Springfield
categories won
Springfield wins on money and lifestyle. Montgomery has the edge on weather.
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