01 · the cities
Savannah
Savannah is 22 oak-shaded squares draped in Spanish moss, ghost tours by candlelight, and shrimp and grits so good they should be regulated. The historic district is a working film set that just happens to be a real city, kept lively by SCAD students keeping the cafes weird. To-go cups of cocktails are legal in the historic district, which tells you exactly how the city wants you to spend a Saturday. The oldest art museum in the South is here too, in case you need a culture alibi.
full dispatch→Hickory
Hickory is North Carolina's furniture capital, with the Hickory Furniture Mart and the surrounding factories shaping the local economy. The downtown has come back nicely with breweries and a walkable feel. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town. Lake Hickory is right there for boating. Cheaper than the bigger NC cities, with mountain access an hour away.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,770/mo
$1,434/mo
$336/mo less than Savannah (23%)
Median home price
Median home price
$349k
$268k
$81k less than Savannah
State income tax
State income tax
5.5%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,106/mo
$6,524/mo
Hickory has $418/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
209 days
189 days
20 fewer than Savannah
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Savannah has 8 more days above 95°F each year than Hickory.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
52 / 100
64 / 100
12.0 pts ahead of Savannah
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
13 routes
0 routes
13 fewer direct routes than Savannah
Metro size
Metro size
425k metro
370k metro
Savannah has 1.2x fewer events per month than Hickory.
the verdict
2
Savannah
categories won
6
Hickory
categories won
Hickory leads on money and wins overall.
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