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→Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs sits at the foot of Pikes Peak (which inspired America the Beautiful), with the Garden of the Gods' red rock formations rising on the city's western edge. The Air Force Academy chapel is one of the most striking pieces of modernist religious architecture in the country. It's drier and sunnier than people expect, with strong evangelical and military communities shaping the city's character. Outdoorsy in a quiet way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,733/mo
$1,110/mo less than Honolulu (64%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$463k
$599k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,234/mo
Colorado Springs has $1,660/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
184 days
132 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
75 days
days below 20°F per year
Colorado Springs drops below 20°F on 75 more days per year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
71 / 100
16.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
11 routes
40 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
769k metro
Honolulu has 2.2x more events per month than Colorado Springs.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Colorado Springs
categories won
Colorado Springs wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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