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→Raleigh
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,663/mo
$1,180/mo less than Honolulu (71%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$440k
$621k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,295/mo
Raleigh has $1,721/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
201 days
115 fewer than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
5 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Raleigh has 5 more days above 95°F each year than Honolulu.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
58 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
39 routes
12 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
1.5M metro
Honolulu has 2.0x more events per month than Raleigh.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Raleigh
categories won
Raleigh wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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