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→Charleston
Charleston is pastel rowhouses, cobblestone streets, the smell of pluff mud at low tide, and shrimp and grits that should be illegal everywhere else. The historic district is a working postcard, the food scene punches way above its size, and the porches are made for sitting. Spoleto Festival every spring brings world-class arts. It's small, dense, and absurdly photogenic.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,987/mo
$1,342/mo less than New York (68%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$432k
$308k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$5,805/mo
Charleston has $1,695/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
212 days
41 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
10 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Charleston has 9 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Charleston.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
67 / 100
11.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
20 routes
195 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
849k metro
New York has 95.3x more events per month than Charleston.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Charleston
categories won
Charleston wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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