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→Wichita
Wichita is the Air Capital of the World, with Cessna, Beechcraft, and major Spirit AeroSystems facilities all here. The Arkansas River runs through downtown, and the Old Town district has brick streets, breweries, and the kind of friendly Kansas pace that makes the rest of the country envious. The flatness is real, and the sunsets are enormous because of it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,173/mo
$2,156/mo less than New York (184%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$221k
$518k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
5.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,685/mo
Wichita has $2,575/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
164 days
7 fewer than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
30 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
20 days
days below 20°F per year
Wichita has 29 more days above 95°F each year than New York.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
52 / 100
26.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
11 routes
204 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
653k metro
New York has 217.1x more events per month than Wichita.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
4
Wichita
categories won
New York wins on weather and lifestyle, Wichita wins on money. Dead even.
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