01 · the cities
New York
New York is the city that refuses to take a nap. Five boroughs of bodegas, bagels, late-night dollar slices, and entire neighborhoods that switch languages every six blocks. The subway is a 472-station miracle that runs all night, and Central Park is the green lung that keeps Manhattan sane. You will spend more than you planned and love every minute of it.
full dispatch→Allentown
Allentown is the heart of the Lehigh Valley, with old industrial bones turning into a quietly resilient mid-sized city. The Lehigh River runs past, the historic downtown has been steadily finding its footing with breweries and restaurants in the old buildings, and the surrounding farmland is gorgeous. It's an hour and change from both Philly and NYC. Cheaper than both, by a lot.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,809/mo
$1,520/mo less than New York (84%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$359k
$380k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
3.1%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,269/mo
Allentown has $2,159/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
171 days
157 days
14 fewer than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
32 days
days below 20°F per year
Allentown drops below 20°F on 13 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
73 / 100
5.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
9 routes
206 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
874k metro
New York has 144.7x more events per month than Allentown.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Allentown
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Allentown wins on money. Dead even.
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