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→Sacramento
Sacramento is California's capital and California's pantry, sitting at the heart of one of the most productive farm regions on earth. The 'Farm to Fork' food movement isn't marketing here, it's just dinner. Two rivers meet downtown, summer afternoons are dry and hot enough to justify ice cream as a meal, and Tahoe is a two-hour drive when you need elevation. It's quieter than its big-city neighbors and likes it that way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$2,226/mo
$1,103/mo less than New York (50%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$589k
$150k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$5,332/mo
Sacramento has $1,222/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
211 days
40 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
56 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Sacramento has 55 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Sacramento.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
75 / 100
3.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
28 routes
187 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
2.4M metro
New York has 46.5x more events per month than Sacramento.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Sacramento
categories won
Sacramento wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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