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→Providence
Providence is what a college town looks like wearing a former industrial capital's old leather jacket. Brown and RISD pour creatives in by the thousand, Federal Hill has been feeding them red sauce since forever, and on summer nights WaterFire literally lights bonfires up and down the river. It's cheap enough that Boston refugees actually stay. The state capitol has the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world, and you'll be told within an hour of arrival.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$2,127/mo
$1,202/mo less than New York (57%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$528k
$212k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
6.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$5,707/mo
Providence has $1,597/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
159 days
12 fewer 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
35 days
days below 20°F per year
Providence drops below 20°F on 16 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
17 routes
198 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
1.7M metro
New York has 186.0x more events per month than Providence.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Providence
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Providence wins on money. Dead even.
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