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→Detroit
Detroit is Motown, techno's birthplace, auto-industry bones, and a comeback story that's actually happening. Coney dogs come with chili and onions, the riverfront looks across at Canada (yes, Canada is south of Detroit), and the murals in Eastern Market could fill an art book. Cass Corridor, Corktown, Mexicantown: every neighborhood feels like its own city. The architecture downtown is genuinely jaw-dropping.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,472/mo
$1,371/mo less than Honolulu (93%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$262k
$799k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,507/mo
Detroit has $1,933/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
160 days
156 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
37 days
days below 20°F per year
Detroit drops below 20°F on 37 more days per year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
47 / 100
8.0 pts behind Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
135 routes
84 more direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
4.3M metro
Honolulu and Detroit have similar event volume.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Detroit
categories won
Detroit wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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