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→Baltimore
Baltimore is steamed crabs with Old Bay, the Inner Harbor at golden hour, and row houses with painted screens. Edgar Allan Poe is buried here, John Waters still lives here, and Cal Ripken Jr. is a saint. The seafood is genuinely some of the best on the east coast. The neighborhoods (Fells Point, Hampden, Federal Hill) each feel like their own small town.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,868/mo
$1,031/mo less than Los Angeles (55%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$412k
$617k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.2%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$5,782/mo
Baltimore has $1,123/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
168 days
115 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 15 more days above 95°F each year than Baltimore. Baltimore drops below 20°F on 21 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
66 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
72 routes
78 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
2.8M metro
Los Angeles has 5.2x more events per month than Baltimore.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Baltimore
categories won
Baltimore wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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