01 · the cities
Tampa
Tampa is the Cuban sandwich's other home (yes, there's a rivalry with Miami), with Ybor City's brick streets, rooster gangs, and cigar shops giving the city a flavor all its own. Bayshore Boulevard claims one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the country, perfect for sunset jogs. The beaches are a short drive west, the Lightning play hockey in the swamp, and the winters feel like other cities' best Aprils.
full dispatch→Lakeland
Lakeland has the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world, on the Florida Southern College campus (designed in the 1940s, all skylights and copper). The city sits between Tampa and Orlando, with actual swans patrolling its namesake downtown lake (the city even has a swan management program). Publix is headquartered here, which Floridians treat as a point of pride.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,996/mo
$1,834/mo
$162/mo less than Tampa (9%)
Median home price
Median home price
$374k
$301k
$72k less than Tampa
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,337/mo
$6,499/mo
Lakeland has $162/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
243 days
206 days
37 fewer than Tampa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
3 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Lakeland has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Tampa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
62 / 100
48 / 100
14.0 pts behind Tampa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
68 routes
68 routes
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
818k metro
Tampa has 4.0x more events per month than Lakeland.
the verdict
3
Tampa
categories won
3
Lakeland
categories won
Tampa wins on weather and lifestyle, Lakeland wins on money. Dead even.
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