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→Richmond
Richmond is one of the only major U.S. cities with class IV whitewater rapids running right through downtown. The James River's Belle Isle is a public park where people sunbathe on boulders mid-river. The Fan and Carytown neighborhoods are full of murals, vintage shops, and porches built for sitting. The food scene leans creative, the beer scene leans plentiful, and VCU keeps the arts energy buzzing.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,691/mo
$1,208/mo less than Los Angeles (71%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$394k
$635k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,163/mo
Richmond has $1,504/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
172 days
111 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
18 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
9 days
days below 20°F per year
Richmond drops below 20°F on 9 more days per year than Los Angeles.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
65 / 100
2.0 pts behind Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
19 routes
131 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
1.4M metro
Los Angeles has 6.0x more events per month than Richmond.
the verdict
4
Los Angeles
categories won
4
Richmond
categories won
Los Angeles wins on weather and lifestyle, Richmond wins on money. Dead even.
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