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→Portland
Portland Maine is lobster rolls, lighthouses (Portland Head Light is the brochure), a working waterfront where fishing boats still come in, and a food scene that has the same per-capita acclaim as the much bigger Portland Oregon. The Old Port's brick streets, breweries, and harbor views are walkable in an afternoon. Casco Bay's islands are a ferry ride away. Tiny, dense, and seriously delicious.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$2,285/mo
$558/mo less than Honolulu (24%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$543k
$519k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
7.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$5,423/mo
Portland has $849/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
145 days
171 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
19 days
days below 20°F per year
Portland drops below 20°F on 19 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
2 routes
49 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
566k metro
Honolulu has 3.1x more events per month than Portland.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Portland
categories won
Portland wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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