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→Louisville
Louisville is bourbon, the Derby, Muhammad Ali, and the Hot Brown sandwich (an open-faced turkey-and-cheese situation invented at the Brown Hotel). Derby week is a citywide event where people dress like they're at a wedding for a horse. The Highlands neighborhood has the best dive bars, the Urban Bourbon Trail downtown takes a full weekend. Pronounce it 'Loo-uh-vul' and you'll fit in.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,368/mo
$1,961/mo less than New York (143%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$282k
$457k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,590/mo
Louisville has $2,480/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
181 days
10 more 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
15 days
days below 20°F per year
Louisville edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
54 / 100
24.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
22 routes
193 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
1.4M metro
New York has 42.5x more events per month than Louisville.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
5
Louisville
categories won
Louisville wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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