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→Baltimore
Baltimore is steamed crabs with Old Bay, the Inner Harbor at golden hour, and row houses with painted screens. Edgar Allan Poe is buried here, John Waters still lives here, and Cal Ripken Jr. is a saint. The seafood is genuinely some of the best on the east coast. The neighborhoods (Fells Point, Hampden, Federal Hill) each feel like their own small town.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,868/mo
$1,461/mo less than New York (78%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$412k
$327k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
8.2%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$5,782/mo
Baltimore has $1,672/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
168 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
New York and Baltimore have remarkably similar weather profiles overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
66 / 100
12.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
72 routes
143 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
2.8M metro
New York has 58.3x more events per month than Baltimore.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
4
Baltimore
categories won
Baltimore wins on money. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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