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→Houston
Houston has no zoning laws (you'll see a taco truck next to a mansion next to a strip mall), the most diverse food scene in America by most rankings, and NASA's mission control out on the edge of town. The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world. It's sprawling and culturally enormous, with a Vietnamese pho district, Nigerian jollof spots, and a Tex-Mex scene that takes itself seriously. Bigger than you think, in every direction.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,610/mo
$1,233/mo less than Honolulu (77%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$311k
$750k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,723/mo
Houston has $2,149/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
171 days
145 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
54 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Houston has 54 more days above 95°F each year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
55 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
176 routes
125 more direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
7.5M metro
Honolulu has 2.2x fewer events per month than Houston.
the verdict
2
Honolulu
categories won
5
Houston
categories won
Houston wins on money and lifestyle. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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