01 · the cities
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 88 cities pretending to be one, connected by freeways and a shared love of really good tacos. Every neighborhood is its own scene: surfers in Venice, the Korean grandmas of K-town, mountains rising behind Pasadena, Persian rugs in Westwood. The light at golden hour is so good it makes Instagram filters jealous. Roll the windows down at golden hour, put on a playlist, and let the city stretch out.
full dispatch→Albany
Albany is one of the oldest chartered cities in America (1686), with the New York state capitol building wearing every architectural style from Romanesque to Victorian on different sides. The Hudson River and the surrounding Adirondacks and Berkshires give it a serious nature backbone. Five colleges feed in young energy, and Lark Street is the local main drag for food and bars. Quieter than its neighbors, and full of layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,643/mo
$1,256/mo less than Los Angeles (76%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$361k
$668k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,203/mo
Albany has $1,544/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
283 days
147 days
136 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
62 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 19 more days above 95°F each year than Albany. Albany drops below 20°F on 62 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
72 / 100
5.0 pts ahead of Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
19 routes
131 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
905k metro
Los Angeles has 13.4x more events per month than Albany.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
6
Albany
categories won
Albany wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather.
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