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→Sarasota
Sarasota is the home of the Ringling Brothers Circus (the museum is wild, and yes, there's a vintage clown college history), and Siesta Key's beach is regularly named the best in America for its pure quartz sand. The cultural scene is heavy for a Florida city of its size (theater, opera, art museum). Gulf sunsets here are the brochure shot. The food scene has caught up to the city's wealth and the retirees' time.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$2,121/mo
$1,208/mo less than New York (57%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$423k
$317k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,212/mo
Sarasota has $2,102/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
249 days
78 more 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
0 days
days below 20°F per year
New York drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Sarasota.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
59 / 100
19.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
6 routes
209 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
262k metro
New York has 1302.3x more events per month than Sarasota.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
6
Sarasota
categories won
Sarasota wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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