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→Spartanburg
Spartanburg is the Upstate of South Carolina, with rolling foothills, peach orchards (yes, South Carolina actually grows more peaches than Georgia in some years), and the largest BMW manufacturing plant in the world just outside town. The downtown's been revitalizing with breweries and restaurants. Wofford and Converse keep college energy in town. The Blue Ridge is right there.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,899/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,465/mo less than Los Angeles (102%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$277k
$752k less than Los Angeles
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,659/mo
$6,358/mo
Spartanburg has $1,699/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
191 days
92 fewer than Los Angeles
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Los Angeles edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
67 / 100
68 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
150 routes
20 routes
130 fewer direct routes than Los Angeles
Metro size
Metro size
12.8M metro
383k metro
Los Angeles has 23.2x more events per month than Spartanburg.
the verdict
2
Los Angeles
categories won
4
Spartanburg
categories won
Spartanburg wins on money. Los Angeles has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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