01 · the cities
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→Reading
Reading is the Pagoda lit up on Mount Penn (a Japanese-style pavilion built in 1908 that's become the city symbol), old factory bones, and the surrounding Berks County farmland. The downtown food and art scene is growing into the old factory bones, with breweries and galleries opening steadily. Pretzels, scrapple, and Pennsylvania Dutch baking are everywhere. Cheaper than nearby Lancaster.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,444/mo
$1,478/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$352k
$311k
$42k less than Tucson
State income tax
State income tax
2.5%
3.1%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,681/mo
$6,600/mo
Tucson has $81/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
202 days
157 days
45 fewer than Tucson
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
94 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
32 days
days below 20°F per year
Tucson has 92 more days above 95°F each year than Reading. Reading drops below 20°F on 32 more days per year than Tucson.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
66 / 100
65 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
16 routes
0 routes
16 fewer direct routes than Tucson
Metro size
Metro size
1.1M metro
433k metro
Tucson has 1.1x more events per month than Reading.
the verdict
5
Tucson
categories won
2
Reading
categories won
Tucson leads on money and weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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