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→Tucson
Tucson is the first U.S. city named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the Sonoran hot dogs alone justify the trip. The saguaros stand around like skinny green sentries, the mountains ring the city in every direction, and the sunsets do that thing where the whole sky turns watermelon. The University of Arizona keeps the energy young. The monsoons in July are genuinely thrilling, and the dry desert nights keep the patios full long after dark.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,913/mo
$1,444/mo
$469/mo less than Springfield (32%)
Median home price
Median home price
$373k
$352k
$20k less than Springfield
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
2.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,004/mo
$6,681/mo
Tucson has $677/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
202 days
55 more than Springfield
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
94 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
47 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Tucson has 93 more days above 95°F each year than Springfield. Springfield drops below 20°F on 47 more days per year than Tucson.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
66 / 100
66 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
26 routes
16 routes
10 fewer direct routes than Springfield
Metro size
Metro size
460k metro
1.1M metro
Springfield has 5.5x fewer events per month than Tucson.
the verdict
2
Springfield
categories won
6
Tucson
categories won
Tucson wins on money and weather. Springfield has the edge on lifestyle.
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