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→Chattanooga
Chattanooga became the first city in the country to roll out gigabit fiber internet to every home (2010, via the municipal utility), which jump-started a tech and remote-work scene. Lookout Mountain rises right above town, with Ruby Falls' underground waterfall and Rock City's epic views. The Tennessee Riverwalk is gorgeous. The Choo Choo (old terminal turned hotel) is a fun stay.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,524/mo
$1,375/mo less than Los Angeles (90%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$322k
$707k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,809/mo
Chattanooga has $2,150/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
167 days
116 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
5 days
days below 20°F per year
Chattanooga drops below 20°F on 5 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
69 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
8 routes
142 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
580k metro
Los Angeles has 15.1x more events per month than Chattanooga.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Chattanooga
categories won
Chattanooga wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather.
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