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→Salem
Salem is the Oregon state capital, smaller and quieter than Portland (less than an hour north), with the Willamette River running through downtown and the surrounding Willamette Valley producing some of the best Pinot Noir in the world. The state capitol is topped by a gold-leaf pioneer statue. Cherry blossoms line the riverfront every spring. Affordable and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,995/mo
$1,642/mo
$1,353/mo less than Oxnard (82%)
Median home price
Median home price
$923k
$452k
$471k less than Oxnard
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,563/mo
$5,962/mo
Salem has $1,399/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
201 days
141 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
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Oxnard edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
74 / 100
69 / 100
5.0 pts behind Oxnard
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
0 routes
0 routes
Metro size
Metro size
830k metro
437k metro
Oxnard has 24.0x more events per month than Salem.
the verdict
2
Oxnard
categories won
4
Salem
categories won
Salem wins on money. Oxnard has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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