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→Denver
Denver is a mile above sea level, an hour from a dozen ski resorts, and surrounded by mountains that make every west-facing window feel like a vacation. The air is dry, the sun shows up roughly 300 days a year, and craft beer is taken seriously enough to have its own annual pilgrimage (the Great American Beer Festival). Green chile is a hill people will die on. The patio season is essentially eternal.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,863/mo
$1,036/mo less than Los Angeles (56%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$599k
$430k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,104/mo
Denver has $1,445/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
174 days
109 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
8 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
66 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Denver. Denver drops below 20°F on 66 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
85 / 100
18.0 pts ahead of Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
169 routes
19 more direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
3.0M metro
Los Angeles has 1.3x fewer events per month than Denver.
the verdict
2
Los Angeles
categories won
7
Denver
categories won
Denver wins on money and lifestyle. Los Angeles has the edge on weather.
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