01 · the cities
Portland
Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.
full dispatch→Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City sits in a bowl of mountains so close you can be at a ski lift in 30 minutes. The grid is laid out from Temple Square in clean numbered streets that make navigation almost too easy. The Great Salt Lake glints west, the Wasatch towers east, and the city itself has loosened up into a real food and bar scene in the last decade. The powder really is that light.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,781/mo
$1,608/mo
$173/mo less than Portland (11%)
Median home price
Median home price
$562k
$584k
$21k more than Portland
State income tax
State income tax
8.8%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,823/mo
$6,338/mo
Salt Lake City has $515/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
178 days
168 days
10 fewer than Portland
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
7 days
23 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
2 days
33 days
days below 20°F per year
Salt Lake City has 16 more days above 95°F each year than Portland. Salt Lake City drops below 20°F on 31 more days per year than Portland.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
87 / 100
78 / 100
9.0 pts behind Portland
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
57 routes
90 routes
33 more direct routes than Portland
Metro size
Metro size
2.5M metro
1.3M metro
Portland has 2.0x more events per month than Salt Lake City.
the verdict
5
Portland
categories won
4
Salt Lake City
categories won
Portland wins on weather. Salt Lake City has the edge on money.
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