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→Wilmington
Wilmington has been called 'Hollywood East' for the volume of film and TV produced here (Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, and dozens of features). The historic riverfront on the Cape Fear is genuinely charming, and Wrightsville Beach is 15 minutes away. The food scene punches above its weight, especially seafood. UNCW keeps it youthful. A coastal city with both beach and downtown charm.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,675/mo
$990/mo less than Miami (59%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$448k
$116k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,283/mo
Wilmington has $615/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
235 days
37 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Miami edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
54 / 100
23.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
5 routes
162 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
467k metro
Miami has 49.3x more events per month than Wilmington.
the verdict
4
Miami
categories won
3
Wilmington
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Wilmington 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