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→Roanoke
Roanoke is the Star City of the South, named for the enormous illuminated star on Mill Mountain that's been lighting up the valley since 1949. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs right past town. The downtown has come back beautifully with the Taubman Museum, breweries, and a thriving market. The surrounding mountains are gorgeous in every season. Smaller and more scenic than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$1,382/mo
$1,461/mo less than Honolulu (106%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$296k
$765k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$6,472/mo
Roanoke has $1,898/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
179 days
137 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
Roanoke 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
9 routes
42 fewer direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
314k metro
Honolulu has 7.9x more events per month than Roanoke.
the verdict
3
Honolulu
categories won
5
Roanoke
categories won
Roanoke wins on money. Honolulu has the edge on weather.
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