01 · the cities
Honolulu
Honolulu is Waikiki's high-rises pressed against turquoise water, Diamond Head crater glowing pink at dawn, and plate lunches that mix Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Portuguese into one perfect styrofoam container. Surf the south shore in summer, the north in winter. The North Shore is a 45-minute drive into a totally different world. Aloha here is a way of moving through the day.
full dispatch→Buffalo
Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,374/mo
$1,469/mo less than Honolulu (107%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$280k
$782k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,472/mo
Buffalo has $1,898/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
316 days
152 days
164 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
42 days
days below 20°F per year
Buffalo drops below 20°F on 42 more days per year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
66 / 100
11.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
20 routes
31 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
1.2M metro
Honolulu has 1.4x more events per month than Buffalo.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Buffalo
categories won
Buffalo wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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