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→Harrisburg
Harrisburg is the Pennsylvania state capital sitting on the Susquehanna River, with a gorgeous Beaux-Arts capitol building (Theodore Roosevelt called it the handsomest building he ever saw). City Island in the middle of the river is a small park with minor league baseball. Hershey is 15 minutes east (yes, that Hershey). Slower-paced than its metro neighbors.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,446/mo
$1,883/mo less than New York (130%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$309k
$430k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
3.1%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,632/mo
Harrisburg has $2,522/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
152 days
19 fewer than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
33 days
days below 20°F per year
Harrisburg drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
69 / 100
9.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
12 routes
203 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
606k metro
New York has 118.4x more events per month than Harrisburg.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Harrisburg
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Harrisburg wins on money. Dead even.
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