01 · the cities
Springfield
Springfield is where basketball was invented in 1891 (the Basketball Hall of Fame is right here), and where Dr. Seuss grew up (there's a sculpture garden downtown). The city's old industrial buildings are slowly coming back, and the surrounding Pioneer Valley is one of the prettiest stretches in New England. UMass is just up the road. Quieter than Boston, much cheaper.
full dispatch→Manchester
Manchester is built around the Amoskeag Mills, once the largest cotton mill complex in the world, now converted into apartments, restaurants, and offices along the Merrimack River. The downtown's grown into a real food and brewery scene. It's the largest city in New Hampshire (still relatively small) and a quick drive to the lakes, the mountains, or Boston. Plus there's no state income tax or sales tax.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,913/mo
$2,092/mo
$179/mo more than Springfield (9%)
Median home price
Median home price
$373k
$548k
$175k more than Springfield
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,004/mo
$6,241/mo
Manchester has $237/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
147 days
154 days
7 more than Springfield
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
47 days
54 days
days below 20°F per year
Manchester drops below 20°F on 7 more days per year than Springfield.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
66 / 100
62 / 100
4.0 pts behind Springfield
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
26 routes
13 routes
13 fewer direct routes than Springfield
Metro size
Metro size
460k metro
427k metro
Springfield has 2.5x fewer events per month than Manchester.
the verdict
5
Springfield
categories won
3
Manchester
categories won
Springfield leads on lifestyle and wins overall.
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