Ask HN: What should I do?

PA all the way. There's nothing in Dayton. Also easier to find other gigs, like-minds and leisure activities in PA.

> client interaction good chemistry with hiring manager

Social currency wins. The friends and contacts you make will create higher visibility and more opportunities as your career progresses.

I would personally pick Pittsburgh, because I lived there at one time. Lovely city, so much to offer, and they are REALLY upping their business game. If it were me, this would be a no brainer.

One of the best adice I received was 'Choose your boss not the company'. My first employment was not a big company, but the man I worked for would lose his sleep if I dont get paid that month. It tought me a lot. Hope this helps!

One thing rarely mentioned when these questions pop up is the ratio of single women / men for various criteria. For example, certain areas, mostly in the West, are heavily lopsided with single men in various age brackets. This means, if you're a hetero guy, it's really tough to date, find a potential partner, etc.

OTOH, in NYC and DC, there are more women with college degrees than men; this equates to an easier time for that same guy.

Same thing applies if your a woman, gay, etc. - find whichever area favors your target market. You can have a good guess of your boss, work environment, etc. based on the interviews, but until you've worked there, a lot of it is a gamble. OTOH, finding a detailed study of demographics is a Google search away. There is an interesting chart here:

http://labs.time.com/story/see-the-ratio-of-single-men-to-wo...

Personally I'd go with Pittsburgh.

But, it should be noted: If you have two similar offers, you're in a good position to make a counter-offer to either one and get more money out of the deal. If Ohio is willing to raise the salary to dwarf the other offer, maybe it's worth going with them. If you're considering telling them "thanks, but no thanks", then you might as well send a counter-offer instead. You really have nothing to lose.

Old dude advice here:

Have you gone to to each company and city in person?

If so which one really speaks to your heart?

Which company has people that you'd like to meet who you might learn from?

Which city would you want to look for the job after this one if this company falls apart overnight?

Forget logic young Jedi Tomy and use the Force!

By the way it sounds like you're young, so realize that you can do something in life, realize that it's a mistake and then move on. Once you're married with kids and/or have elderly parents your choices become narrowed down a bit...

That's not a tough situation, you're in a great situation! Two job offers that you get to choose from is not a bad place to be.

I help people think through these kinds of situations all the time with my work. If you're interested I'll give you a HN special of a free phone call so we can figure this out together. I'm not going to sell you on anything, so don't worry about that. If you're interested email samuel at thelittleyes.com

You can learn more about what I do here: http://www.thelittleyes.com

I currently live near Dayton and grew up near Pittsburgh. If you don't have ties to either city, I would take job with better benefits and manager in Pittsburgh. Both are nice cities with a surprising number of tech jobs. Housing is a little cheaper in Dayton but not dramatically different. If family doesn't factor into your consideration then there are more lifestyle options and things to do in Pittsburgh.

I really like Pittsburgh, and I really dislike Dayton, FWIW.

What's your five year goal? Are you looking to start a family? Looking to get experience? Looking to just have a nice life?

Do you have a connection to one city or the other (living in one now, family, etc.)?

Just by the way you explained it, it appears you like pittsburgh better. Plus, you mention "good chemistry with mgr" - that is HUGE. good luck!

Go with Pittsburgh. The good chemistry with the hiring manager is very important here.