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→Reading
Reading is the Pagoda lit up on Mount Penn (a Japanese-style pavilion built in 1908 that's become the city symbol), old factory bones, and the surrounding Berks County farmland. The downtown food and art scene is growing into the old factory bones, with breweries and galleries opening steadily. Pretzels, scrapple, and Pennsylvania Dutch baking are everywhere. Cheaper than nearby Lancaster.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,478/mo
$1,851/mo less than New York (125%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$311k
$428k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
3.1%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,600/mo
Reading has $2,490/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
157 days
14 fewer than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
32 days
days below 20°F per year
Reading drops below 20°F on 13 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
65 / 100
13.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
0 routes
215 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
433k metro
New York has 134.7x more events per month than Reading.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Reading
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Reading wins on money. Dead even.
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