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→Lancaster
Lancaster is the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country, with horse-drawn buggies on rural roads and the Central Market (the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country, since the 1730s). The food scene is sneaky-strong, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous, and the city's downtown has come back nicely. Whoopie pies, shoofly pies, and sticky buns are mandatory.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,517/mo
$1,812/mo less than New York (119%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$384k
$355k 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
$6,561/mo
Lancaster has $2,451/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
158 days
13 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
25 days
days below 20°F per year
Lancaster drops below 20°F on 6 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
63 / 100
15.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
1 routes
214 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
559k metro
New York has 260.5x more events per month than Lancaster.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Lancaster
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Lancaster wins on money. Dead even.
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