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→Raleigh
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,663/mo
$1,236/mo less than Los Angeles (74%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$440k
$589k 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
$6,295/mo
Raleigh has $1,636/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
201 days
82 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
5 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 14 more days above 95°F each year than Raleigh.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
58 / 100
9.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
39 routes
111 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
1.5M metro
Los Angeles has 7.4x more events per month than Raleigh.
the verdict
3
Los Angeles
categories won
5
Raleigh
categories won
Raleigh wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on lifestyle.
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