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→Columbus
Columbus is on the Chattahoochee River, with the longest urban whitewater course in the world (since 2013) running right through downtown for rafting and surfing waves. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) is the city's anchor. The Riverwalk stretches for miles. The downtown has come back nicely with restaurants and breweries. Smaller and friendlier than the city's industrial reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,264/mo
$2,065/mo less than New York (163%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$208k
$531k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,612/mo
Columbus has $2,502/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
177 days
6 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
39 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus has 38 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 17 more days per year than Columbus.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
47 / 100
31.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
1 routes
214 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
329k metro
New York has 169.9x more events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Columbus
categories won
Columbus wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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