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→Montgomery
Montgomery is civil rights ground zero: Rosa Parks' bus, the start of the Selma march, Dr. King's Dexter Avenue church. The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (the lynching memorial) are essential and devastating in equal measure. The city is also the Alabama state capital, with the river curving past, and the food and music scenes have grown up in the last decade. Heavy and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,376/mo
$1,953/mo less than New York (142%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$212k
$528k 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
$6,541/mo
Montgomery has $2,431/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
29 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Montgomery has 28 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 18 more days per year than Montgomery.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
44 / 100
34.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
3 routes
212 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
385k metro
New York has 122.1x more events per month than Montgomery.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Montgomery
categories won
Montgomery wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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