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→Asheville
Asheville is what happens when a mountain town and an art school have a baby and raise it on craft beer. Downtown packs more breweries per capita than almost anywhere in America, plus buskers on every corner and Art Deco buildings the Depression accidentally preserved (the city went broke before it could tear them down). The Biltmore, America's largest private home, looms on the edge of town like a stone-carved flex. Remote workers keep showing up, which is how you know.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,738/mo
$1,591/mo less than New York (92%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$430k
$309k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,220/mo
Asheville has $2,110/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
201 days
30 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
13 days
days below 20°F per year
New York drops below 20°F on 6 more days per year than Asheville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
66 / 100
12.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
8 routes
207 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
417k metro
New York has 111.6x more events per month than Asheville.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
6
Asheville
categories won
Asheville wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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