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→Seattle
Seattle is coffee snobs, ferries crossing the sound, mountains in two directions, and misty mornings that make the espresso taste better. Pike Place still throws fish, the salmon is genuinely better here, and the Cascades sit right outside your window like a movie backdrop. The hippie greenmarket soul still runs through everything the tech money has built. Bring layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$2,193/mo
$1,136/mo less than New York (52%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$791k
$52k more than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,140/mo
Seattle has $2,030/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
182 days
11 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
0 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 Seattle.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
93 / 100
15.0 pts ahead of New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
90 routes
125 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
4.0M metro
New York has 15.4x more events per month than Seattle.
the verdict
2
New York
categories won
6
Seattle
categories won
Seattle leads on money and weather and wins overall.
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