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→Chicago
Chicago is deep-dish for tourists, thin-crust tavern style for locals, and a hot dog that absolutely will not have ketchup on it. The L rumbles overhead, the lakefront stretches for 18 unbroken miles of beach and trail, and the architecture boat tour is the single best $50 you'll spend. Summer in Chicago might be the best summer in America. The improv comedy gene pool is unmatched.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$2,170/mo
$729/mo less than Los Angeles (34%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$365k
$665k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$5,751/mo
Chicago has $1,092/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
153 days
130 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
38 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 18 more days above 95°F each year than Chicago. Chicago drops below 20°F on 38 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
70 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
217 routes
67 more direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
9.3M metro
Los Angeles has 3.7x fewer events per month than Chicago.
the verdict
2
Los Angeles
categories won
7
Chicago
categories won
Chicago wins on money and lifestyle. Los Angeles has the edge on weather.
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