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→Columbus
Columbus is on the Chattahoochee River, with the longest urban whitewater course in the world (since 2013) running right through downtown for rafting and surfing waves. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) is the city's anchor. The Riverwalk stretches for miles. The downtown has come back nicely with restaurants and breweries. Smaller and friendlier than the city's industrial reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,264/mo
$1,579/mo less than Honolulu (125%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$208k
$853k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,612/mo
Columbus has $2,038/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
177 days
139 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
39 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus has 39 more days above 95°F each year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
47 / 100
8.0 pts behind Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
1 routes
50 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
329k metro
Honolulu has 4.1x more events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
4
Honolulu
categories won
4
Columbus
categories won
Honolulu wins on weather and lifestyle, Columbus wins on money. Dead even.
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