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→Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is Moravian cookie traditions, old tobacco wealth (R.J. Reynolds), and Krispy Kreme's hometown (the original hot doughnut sign is still here). Old Salem is a living history Moravian village downtown. The food scene has picked up nicely, the arts scene leans on the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Slower-paced than its Triad neighbors. A little secret.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,508/mo
$1,157/mo less than Miami (77%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$283k
$281k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,450/mo
Winston-Salem has $782/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
186 days
86 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
8 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
6 days
days below 20°F per year
Winston-Salem has 8 more days above 95°F each year than Miami. Winston-Salem drops below 20°F on 6 more days per year than Miami.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
54 / 100
23.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
0 routes
167 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
696k metro
the verdict
6
Miami
categories won
3
Winston-Salem
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle. Winston-Salem has the edge on money.
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