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→Hartford
Hartford is the insurance capital of America (Aetna, Travelers, the works), with the steeple of the Travelers building visible from miles away. Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn in his weird and wonderful Hartford house, now a museum. The Connecticut River curves past downtown, and the surrounding small towns are New England postcard material. Quieter than its neighbors, with serious history.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,931/mo
$1,398/mo less than New York (72%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$411k
$328k 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
$5,944/mo
Hartford has $1,834/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
148 days
23 fewer than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
47 days
days below 20°F per year
Hartford drops below 20°F on 28 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
67 / 100
11.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
26 routes
189 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
1.2M metro
New York has 134.7x more events per month than Hartford.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Hartford
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Hartford wins on money. Dead even.
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