01 · the cities
Miami
Miami is Spanish before it's English, salsa before it's small talk, and a cortadito before it's a coffee. South Beach Art Deco glows pink at night, Wynwood is a city-sized mural, and the Cuban sandwiches in Little Havana could end fights. Summer is bath-warm ocean and ceiling fans turned up high, and October feels like everywhere else's perfect August. Bring linen.
full dispatch→Detroit
Detroit is Motown, techno's birthplace, auto-industry bones, and a comeback story that's actually happening. Coney dogs come with chili and onions, the riverfront looks across at Canada (yes, Canada is south of Detroit), and the murals in Eastern Market could fill an art book. Cass Corridor, Corktown, Mexicantown: every neighborhood feels like its own city. The architecture downtown is genuinely jaw-dropping.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,472/mo
$1,193/mo less than Miami (81%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$262k
$302k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,507/mo
Detroit has $839/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
272 days
160 days
112 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
37 days
days below 20°F per year
Detroit drops below 20°F on 37 more days per year than Miami.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
47 / 100
30.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
135 routes
32 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
4.3M metro
Miami has 11.0x more events per month than Detroit.
the verdict
5
Miami
categories won
3
Detroit
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Detroit has the edge on money.
run your numbers
How far does your Miami salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works