01 · the cities
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is cheesesteaks (the Pat's vs. Geno's argument is mostly theater), the Italian Market, and the Liberty Bell sitting modestly in a glass pavilion. Murals are everywhere (the city runs the largest public art program in the country). The Eagles fans climbing light poles is folklore for a reason. The food scene punches way above its weight and the bar scene knows it.
full dispatch→Trenton
Trenton's downtown is anchored by the famous 'Trenton Makes The World Takes' bridge sign over the Delaware River, a relic of the city's manufacturing past. It's the New Jersey state capital, sitting roughly halfway between Philly and NYC, with quick train access to both. The food scene leans on solid Italian and an emerging Latin American presence. Workmanlike, with history.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,869/mo
$2,540/mo
$671/mo more than Philadelphia (26%)
Median home price
Median home price
$393k
$456k
$63k more than Philadelphia
State income tax
State income tax
6.8%
6.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,896/mo
$5,263/mo
Philadelphia has $633/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
173 days
171 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
21 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Philadelphia and Trenton have remarkably similar weather profiles overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
71 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of Philadelphia
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
122 routes
123 routes
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
382k metro
Philadelphia has 16.8x more events per month than Trenton.
the verdict
3
Philadelphia
categories won
2
Trenton
categories won
Philadelphia wins on money. Trenton has the edge on lifestyle.
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