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→Denver
Denver is a mile above sea level, an hour from a dozen ski resorts, and surrounded by mountains that make every west-facing window feel like a vacation. The air is dry, the sun shows up roughly 300 days a year, and craft beer is taken seriously enough to have its own annual pilgrimage (the Great American Beer Festival). Green chile is a hill people will die on. The patio season is essentially eternal.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,863/mo
$1,466/mo less than New York (79%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$599k
$140k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,104/mo
Denver has $1,994/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
174 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
8 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
66 days
days below 20°F per year
Denver has 7 more days above 95°F each year than New York. Denver drops below 20°F on 47 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
85 / 100
7.0 pts ahead of New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
169 routes
46 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
3.0M metro
New York has 8.6x more events per month than Denver.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
5
Denver
categories won
Denver wins on money. New York has the edge on weather.
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