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→Portland
Portland Maine is lobster rolls, lighthouses (Portland Head Light is the brochure), a working waterfront where fishing boats still come in, and a food scene that has the same per-capita acclaim as the much bigger Portland Oregon. The Old Port's brick streets, breweries, and harbor views are walkable in an afternoon. Casco Bay's islands are a ferry ride away. Tiny, dense, and seriously delicious.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$2,285/mo
$614/mo less than Los Angeles (27%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$543k
$487k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
7.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$5,423/mo
Portland has $764/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
145 days
138 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
19 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 19 more days above 95°F each year than Portland. Portland drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
71 / 100
4.0 pts ahead of Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
2 routes
148 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
566k metro
Los Angeles has 11.2x more events per month than Portland.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
6
Portland
categories won
Portland wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather.
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