01 · the cities
Orlando
Orlando is theme parks plus lake-dotted residential neighborhoods, a surprisingly good food scene, and one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the south. Winter Park is a charming brick-street pocket of art and brunch. The summer afternoon thunderstorms roll in at 3pm like clockwork. There's a swamp boardwalk within 15 minutes of wherever you are.
full dispatch→Charlotte
Charlotte is banking towers (it's the second-biggest banking center in the country after NYC) wrapped in pine trees and southern hospitality. Uptown is the downtown (Charlotteans correct you on this immediately), the NASCAR Hall of Fame anchors a real motorsport scene, and the Whitewater Center lets you raft inside the city limits. Growth is fast, breweries are everywhere, and barbecue gets the Carolina vinegar treatment.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,937/mo
$1,728/mo
$209/mo less than Orlando (12%)
Median home price
Median home price
$402k
$391k
$11k less than Orlando
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,396/mo
$6,230/mo
Orlando has $166/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
216 days
200 days
16 fewer than Orlando
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
10 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Orlando edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
62 / 100
51 / 100
11.0 pts behind Orlando
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
146 routes
141 routes
5 fewer direct routes than Orlando
Metro size
Metro size
2.8M metro
2.8M metro
Orlando has 1.4x more events per month than Charlotte.
the verdict
5
Orlando
categories won
2
Charlotte
categories won
Orlando leads on weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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