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→Seattle
Seattle is coffee snobs, ferries crossing the sound, mountains in two directions, and misty mornings that make the espresso taste better. Pike Place still throws fish, the salmon is genuinely better here, and the Cascades sit right outside your window like a movie backdrop. The hippie greenmarket soul still runs through everything the tech money has built. Bring layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$2,193/mo
$706/mo less than Los Angeles (32%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$791k
$238k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,140/mo
Seattle has $1,481/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
182 days
101 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
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles has 19 more days above 95°F each year than Seattle.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
93 / 100
26.0 pts ahead of Los Angeles
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
90 routes
60 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
4.0M metro
Los Angeles has 1.4x more events per month than Seattle.
the verdict
2
Los Angeles
categories won
6
Seattle
categories won
Seattle leads on money and wins overall.
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