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→Knoxville
Knoxville is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains (the most-visited national park in the country, 30 minutes east), the University of Tennessee's Vol energy, and the gold-roofed Sunsphere left over from the 1982 World's Fair. Market Square downtown is brick, patios, and a Saturday farmers market that takes over the whole space. The food and bar scene has come into its own. The mountains do the heavy lifting.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,731/mo
$1,598/mo less than New York (92%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$364k
$376k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,602/mo
Knoxville has $2,492/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
189 days
18 more 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
9 days
days below 20°F per year
New York drops below 20°F on 10 more days per year than Knoxville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
69 / 100
9.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
17 routes
198 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
947k metro
New York has 93.0x more events per month than Knoxville.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
6
Knoxville
categories won
Knoxville wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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