01 · the cities
York
York calls itself the White Rose City, claims to be America's first capital (Continental Congress met here briefly in 1777), and is the home of the Harley-Davidson assembly plant (factory tours available). The market houses in town go back over 100 years. The downtown is brick and walkable, the surrounding farm country is gorgeous, and the Susquehanna River is a quick drive east. Quietly historic.
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
$1,361/mo
$1,444/mo
$83/mo more than York (6%)
Median home price
Median home price
$310k
$352k
$42k more than York
State income tax
State income tax
3.1%
2.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,717/mo
$6,681/mo
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
159 days
202 days
43 more than York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
4 days
94 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
27 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Tucson has 90 more days above 95°F each year than York. York drops below 20°F on 27 more days per year than Tucson.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
64 / 100
66 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
12 routes
16 routes
4 more direct routes than York
Metro size
Metro size
465k metro
1.1M metro
York has 33.0x fewer events per month than Tucson.
the verdict
4
York
categories won
5
Tucson
categories won
Tucson wins on weather and lifestyle. York has the edge on money.
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