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→Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne sits where three rivers meet (the St. Joseph, the St. Marys, and the Maumee), and the riverfront has been transforming into a real public space. The Children's Zoo is consistently ranked among the country's best. It's the second-largest city in Indiana, with the friendly small-town feel still intact. Cheap, easy, and quietly improving.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,187/mo
$1,712/mo less than Los Angeles (144%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$254k
$776k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,896/mo
Fort Wayne has $2,237/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
161 days
122 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
0 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 19 more days above 95°F each year than Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne drops below 20°F on 38 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
46 / 100
21.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
10 routes
140 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
458k metro
Los Angeles has 16.6x more events per month than Fort Wayne.
the verdict
4
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Fort Wayne
categories won
Fort Wayne wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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