01 · the cities
Olympia
Olympia is the Washington state capital, much smaller and chiller than Seattle. Evergreen State College gives it a hippie-anarchist energy (the riot grrrl music movement essentially started here, with Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney's name coming from a local road). The capitol dome is one of the tallest in the country. Puget Sound oysters are the regional star. Mossy, mellow, and underrated.
full dispatch→Ogden
Ogden is the old railroad town turned ski-bum gateway, with three world-class resorts (Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, Nordic Valley) within 30 minutes. Historic 25th Street has the old saloons and brick storefronts intact, now full of breweries and restaurants. Union Station is a working museum. The Wasatch Mountains loom right behind town. It's the chiller, cheaper neighbor of Park City.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,991/mo
$1,641/mo
$350/mo less than Olympia (21%)
Median home price
Median home price
$533k
$524k
$8k less than Olympia
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,342/mo
$6,305/mo
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
182 days
174 days
8 fewer than Olympia
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
2 days
54 days
days below 20°F per year
Ogden drops below 20°F on 52 more days per year than Olympia.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
80 / 100
80 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
90 routes
90 routes
Metro size
Metro size
299k metro
658k metro
the verdict
4
Olympia
categories won
2
Ogden
categories won
Olympia leads on weather and wins overall.
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