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 Ohio State on autumn Saturdays (the Horseshoe holds 100,000+ and they all wear scarlet), German Village's cobblestone streets and brick cottages, and a Short North gallery scene that punches well above its weight. It's quietly become a test market for the rest of America because the demographics line up so neatly. The food scene leans young, weird, and good. 'Buckeyes' here can mean either the football team or the chocolate-peanut-butter candy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,511/mo
$1,818/mo less than New York (120%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$350k
$389k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,490/mo
Columbus has $2,380/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
171 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
29 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus drops below 20°F on 10 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
57 / 100
21.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
32 routes
183 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
2.2M metro
New York has 33.7x more events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
4
Columbus
categories won
Columbus wins on money. New York has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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