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→Austin
Austin runs on breakfast tacos, live music, and a stubborn streak of weirdness that the tech boom hasn't fully smoothed over. The east side reinvents itself every few years and still has the vinyl shops, vintage western wear, and honky-tonks to prove it. Barton Springs holds 68°F year-round and locals plan their summers around it. There's a swimming hole, a taco truck, or a guitar within five blocks of wherever you're standing.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,583/mo
$1,316/mo less than Los Angeles (83%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$433k
$596k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,750/mo
Austin has $2,091/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
170 days
113 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
53 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Austin has 34 more days above 95°F each year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
56 / 100
11.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
42 routes
108 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
2.5M metro
Los Angeles has 2.9x more events per month than Austin.
the verdict
4
Los Angeles
categories won
4
Austin
categories won
Los Angeles wins on weather and lifestyle, Austin wins on money. Dead even.
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