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→Columbus
Columbus is on the Chattahoochee River, with the longest urban whitewater course in the world (since 2013) running right through downtown for rafting and surfing waves. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) is the city's anchor. The Riverwalk stretches for miles. The downtown has come back nicely with restaurants and breweries. Smaller and friendlier than the city's industrial reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,264/mo
$1,635/mo less than Los Angeles (129%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$208k
$822k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,612/mo
Columbus has $1,953/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
177 days
106 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
39 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus has 20 more days above 95°F each year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
47 / 100
20.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
1 routes
149 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
329k metro
Los Angeles has 15.1x more events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
4
Los Angeles
categories won
4
Columbus
categories won
Los Angeles wins on weather and lifestyle, Columbus wins on money. Dead even.
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