01 · the cities
Oxnard
Oxnard is California's strawberry capital, where the fields literally run up to the beach. Channel Islands Harbor is a quiet alternative to the busier Ventura and Santa Barbara, with great seafood and a chill Mexican food scene. The weather is the perfect 65-and-overcast that locals call 'June gloom' for most of summer. The Channel Islands themselves are a ferry ride away.
full dispatch→Roanoke
Roanoke is the Star City of the South, named for the enormous illuminated star on Mill Mountain that's been lighting up the valley since 1949. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs right past town. The downtown has come back beautifully with the Taubman Museum, breweries, and a thriving market. The surrounding mountains are gorgeous in every season. Smaller and more scenic than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,995/mo
$1,382/mo
$1,613/mo less than Oxnard (117%)
Median home price
Median home price
$923k
$296k
$627k less than Oxnard
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,563/mo
$6,472/mo
Roanoke has $1,909/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
342 days
179 days
163 fewer than Oxnard
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Roanoke drops below 20°F on 21 more days per year than Oxnard.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
74 / 100
69 / 100
5.0 pts behind Oxnard
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
0 routes
9 routes
9 more direct routes than Oxnard
Metro size
Metro size
830k metro
314k metro
Oxnard has 2.0x more events per month than Roanoke.
the verdict
3
Oxnard
categories won
5
Roanoke
categories won
Roanoke wins on money. Oxnard has the edge on weather.
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