How to Compare Cities & Moving
Moving to a different city might be as easy as packing up everything and leaving, but you often will face a drastic change from what you were used to. Cities differ a lot from one another, from population to income to climate, and if you don't compare each city you're interested in, you might end up in a city that you hate. You also will have to choose a city that not only fits your likes but also your career as well; moving to a city that supports mainly farmers when you're a computer programmer isn't ideal.
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Instructions
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Look at city data from a various resources on the Internet, such as moving.com and city-data.com. Websites that store and update information about cities across the country will help you in choosing which city to move to, based on a wealth of information.
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Assess the population numbers. If you're looking to move to a small city, then a population of 300,000 isn't going to fit your needs. Population invariably affects the amount of traffic you will contend with, school population and how crowded the city might be.
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Look at the white-collar and blue-collar job percentages. If you work in the technology field, then you probably want to move to a city that has a higher percentage of white-collar jobs, whereas if you're a steel mill worker, you should try to find somewhere that has a higher percentage of blue-collar jobs.
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Consider the climate of each city. If you're someone who enjoys a mild winter, then the average January low of 17 degrees Fahrenheit in Pittsburgh isn't going to look too inviting. Also look at the pollution index, especially if you or someone in your family has breathing problems, such as asthma or allergies.
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Compare the crime rate of each city. You're not going to want to move somewhere that is ridden with crime, so looking at how much crime and property damage occurs in each city is an important consideration to make before moving.
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Examine the average home-sale price. One of the biggest determining factors in moving to a different city is the average price of a house in comparison to how much you can afford. If you can afford a $100,000 house, but the average home price in the city you want to move to is $300,000, then you might have to either rent an apartment or consider a different city.
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Look at the taxes. You might be in for quite a surprise when you move to a different city and end up paying more for items that cost the same in your previous city because of increased sales tax, or paying more for school taxes or general city taxes. City taxes vary from city to city, so you might pay less in one city and more in another.
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