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→Houston
Houston has no zoning laws (you'll see a taco truck next to a mansion next to a strip mall), the most diverse food scene in America by most rankings, and NASA's mission control out on the edge of town. The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world. It's sprawling and culturally enormous, with a Vietnamese pho district, Nigerian jollof spots, and a Tex-Mex scene that takes itself seriously. Bigger than you think, in every direction.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,610/mo
$1,289/mo less than Los Angeles (80%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$311k
$718k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,723/mo
Houston has $2,064/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
171 days
112 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
54 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Houston has 35 more days above 95°F each year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
55 / 100
12.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
176 routes
26 more direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
7.5M metro
Los Angeles has 1.6x more events per month than Houston.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Houston
categories won
Houston wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather.
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