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→Philadelphia
Philadelphia is cheesesteaks (the Pat's vs. Geno's argument is mostly theater), the Italian Market, and the Liberty Bell sitting modestly in a glass pavilion. Murals are everywhere (the city runs the largest public art program in the country). The Eagles fans climbing light poles is folklore for a reason. The food scene punches way above its weight and the bar scene knows it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,869/mo
$974/mo less than Honolulu (52%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$393k
$668k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
6.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$5,896/mo
Philadelphia has $1,322/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
173 days
143 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Philadelphia drops below 20°F on 21 more days per year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
69 / 100
14.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
122 routes
71 more direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
6.2M metro
Honolulu has 1.9x fewer events per month than Philadelphia.
the verdict
2
Honolulu
categories won
6
Philadelphia
categories won
Philadelphia wins on money and lifestyle. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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