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→Nashville
Nashville is honky-tonk neon on Broadway, hot chicken so spicy it counts as a personality test, and a music scene that includes way more than country (though country is the headliner). The Ryman Auditorium is still the most acoustically beloved room in American music. Bachelorette parties on pedal taverns are now a recognized weather pattern. Pack stretchy pants for the biscuits.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,790/mo
$1,539/mo less than New York (86%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$461k
$278k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,543/mo
Nashville 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
173 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
8 days
days below 20°F per year
New York drops below 20°F on 11 more days per year than Nashville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
56 / 100
22.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
47 routes
168 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
2.1M metro
New York has 13.8x more events per month than Nashville.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
5
Nashville
categories won
Nashville wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
run your numbers
How far does your New York salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works