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→Huntsville
Huntsville is Rocket City, with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, the Saturn V rocket on display at the Space and Rocket Center, and a tech and engineering economy that punches way above the city's size. Cummings Research Park is the second-largest research park in the U.S. The Tennessee River and Monte Sano State Park give it a quiet outdoor side. Affordable and surprisingly smart.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,374/mo
$1,955/mo less than New York (142%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$316k
$424k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,543/mo
Huntsville has $2,433/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
177 days
6 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
6 days
days below 20°F per year
Huntsville has 12 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 13 more days per year than Huntsville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
58 / 100
20.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
9 routes
206 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
527k metro
New York has 122.1x more events per month than Huntsville.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Huntsville
categories won
Huntsville wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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