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 is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,781/mo
$1,062/mo less than Honolulu (60%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$562k
$499k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
8.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$5,823/mo
Portland has $1,249/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
178 days
138 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Portland has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
87 / 100
32.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
57 routes
6 more direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
2.5M metro
Honolulu has 1.3x fewer events per month than Portland.
the verdict
2
Honolulu
categories won
6
Portland
categories won
Portland wins on money and lifestyle. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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