01 · the cities
Provo
Provo is BYU and the Mormon culture's center of gravity, with a downtown that's quieter than most college towns (no Saturday football beer crowds here). The Wasatch Mountains rise right behind it, with Sundance ski resort 30 minutes up the canyon. Provo Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls are summer go-tos. The tech scene (Qualtrics, Domo) has reshaped the local economy. Beautiful in a calm, ordered way.
full dispatch→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→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,743/mo
$1,869/mo
$126/mo more than Provo (7%)
Median home price
Median home price
$559k
$393k
$166k less than Provo
State income tax
State income tax
4.7%
6.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,203/mo
$5,896/mo
Provo has $307/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
173 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
12 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
44 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Provo has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Philadelphia. Provo drops below 20°F on 23 more days per year than Philadelphia.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
81 / 100
69 / 100
12.0 pts behind Provo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
91 routes
122 routes
31 more direct routes than Provo
Metro size
Metro size
733k metro
6.2M metro
Provo has 185.0x fewer events per month than Philadelphia.
the verdict
4
Provo
categories won
4
Philadelphia
categories won
Provo wins on money, Philadelphia wins on weather. Dead even.
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