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→Reno
Reno calls itself the Biggest Little City in the World and means it: casinos and neon, sure, but also a quietly cool downtown, a strong outdoor culture (Tahoe is 45 minutes south), and the Truckee River running right through the middle of everything. The University of Nevada keeps things young. Burning Man buses depart from here every August. Sunnier and drier than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,908/mo
$935/mo less than Honolulu (49%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$574k
$487k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,425/mo
Reno has $1,851/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
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
28 days
days below 20°F per year
Reno drops below 20°F on 28 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
13 routes
38 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
565k metro
Honolulu and Reno have similar event volume.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Reno
categories won
Reno wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
run your numbers
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