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→Hickory
Hickory is North Carolina's furniture capital, with the Hickory Furniture Mart and the surrounding factories shaping the local economy. The downtown has come back nicely with breweries and a walkable feel. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town. Lake Hickory is right there for boating. Cheaper than the bigger NC cities, with mountain access an hour away.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,465/mo less than Los Angeles (102%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$268k
$761k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,524/mo
Hickory has $1,865/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
189 days
94 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 8 more days above 95°F each year than Hickory.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
64 / 100
3.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
0 routes
150 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
370k metro
Los Angeles has 18.3x more events per month than Hickory.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Hickory
categories won
Hickory wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on lifestyle.
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