01 · the cities
Provo
Provo is BYU and the Mormon culture's center of gravity, with a downtown that's quieter than most college towns (no Saturday football beer crowds here). The Wasatch Mountains rise right behind it, with Sundance ski resort 30 minutes up the canyon. Provo Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls are summer go-tos. The tech scene (Qualtrics, Domo) has reshaped the local economy. Beautiful in a calm, ordered way.
full dispatch→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→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,743/mo
$1,991/mo
$248/mo more than Provo (12%)
Median home price
Median home price
$559k
$533k
$27k less than Provo
State income tax
State income tax
4.7%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,203/mo
$6,342/mo
Olympia has $139/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
171 days
182 days
11 more than Provo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
12 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
44 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Provo has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Olympia. Provo drops below 20°F on 42 more days per year than Olympia.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
81 / 100
80 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
91 routes
90 routes
Metro size
Metro size
733k metro
299k metro
the verdict
1
Provo
categories won
6
Olympia
categories won
Olympia wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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