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→Olympia
Olympia is the Washington state capital, much smaller and chiller than Seattle. Evergreen State College gives it a hippie-anarchist energy (the riot grrrl music movement essentially started here, with Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney's name coming from a local road). The capitol dome is one of the tallest in the country. Puget Sound oysters are the regional star. Mossy, mellow, and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,991/mo
$1,338/mo less than New York (67%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$533k
$207k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,342/mo
Olympia has $2,232/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
182 days
11 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
New York drops below 20°F on 17 more days per year than Olympia.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
80 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
90 routes
125 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
299k metro
the verdict
1
New York
categories won
7
Olympia
categories won
Olympia wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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