01 · the cities
Richmond
Richmond is one of the only major U.S. cities with class IV whitewater rapids running right through downtown. The James River's Belle Isle is a public park where people sunbathe on boulders mid-river. The Fan and Carytown neighborhoods are full of murals, vintage shops, and porches built for sitting. The food scene leans creative, the beer scene leans plentiful, and VCU keeps the arts energy buzzing.
full dispatch→Lancaster
Lancaster is the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country, with horse-drawn buggies on rural roads and the Central Market (the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country, since the 1730s). The food scene is sneaky-strong, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous, and the city's downtown has come back nicely. Whoopie pies, shoofly pies, and sticky buns are mandatory.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,691/mo
$1,517/mo
$174/mo less than Richmond (11%)
Median home price
Median home price
$394k
$384k
$10k less than Richmond
State income tax
State income tax
5.8%
3.1%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,163/mo
$6,561/mo
Lancaster has $398/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
172 days
158 days
14 fewer than Richmond
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
18 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
9 days
25 days
days below 20°F per year
Richmond has 15 more days above 95°F each year than Lancaster. Lancaster drops below 20°F on 16 more days per year than Richmond.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
65 / 100
63 / 100
2.0 pts behind Richmond
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
19 routes
1 routes
18 fewer direct routes than Richmond
Metro size
Metro size
1.4M metro
559k metro
Richmond has 3.9x more events per month than Lancaster.
the verdict
4
Richmond
categories won
5
Lancaster
categories won
Lancaster wins on money. Richmond has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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