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→Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City sits in a bowl of mountains so close you can be at a ski lift in 30 minutes. The grid is laid out from Temple Square in clean numbered streets that make navigation almost too easy. The Great Salt Lake glints west, the Wasatch towers east, and the city itself has loosened up into a real food and bar scene in the last decade. The powder really is that light.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,608/mo
$1,721/mo less than New York (107%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$584k
$156k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,338/mo
Salt Lake City has $2,228/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
168 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
23 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
33 days
days below 20°F per year
Salt Lake City has 22 more days above 95°F each year than New York. Salt Lake City drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
78 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
90 routes
125 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
1.3M metro
New York has 63.0x more events per month than Salt Lake City.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
4
Salt Lake City
categories won
Salt Lake City wins on money. New York has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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