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→Durham
Durham is Duke University, old tobacco warehouses turned into incredible restaurants and breweries (the American Tobacco Campus is a model for adaptive reuse), and a food scene that punches way above its size (multiple James Beard winners). Bull City pride runs deep. The Eno River and Duke Gardens are right in town. It's more diverse, weirder, and more interesting than outsiders expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,684/mo
$1,645/mo less than New York (98%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$415k
$324k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,274/mo
Durham has $2,164/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
178 days
7 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
19 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
5 days
days below 20°F per year
Durham has 18 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than Durham.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
50 / 100
28.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
39 routes
176 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
609k metro
New York has 111.6x more events per month than Durham.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Durham
categories won
Durham wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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