01 · the cities
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→Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach has hard-packed sand you can actually drive your car on (yes, on the beach, it's a tradition). The Daytona 500 brings NASCAR to town every February and shakes the whole city awake. Bike Week is its own beast. Outside of the events, it's a quieter Florida beach town than its reputation suggests, with affordable oceanfront and the Halifax River making the geography interesting.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,642/mo
$1,784/mo
$142/mo more than Salem (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$452k
$331k
$121k less than Salem
State income tax
State income tax
8.8%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,962/mo
$6,549/mo
Daytona Beach has $587/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
201 days
212 days
11 more than Salem
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Daytona Beach has 9 more days above 95°F each year than Salem.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
63 / 100
6.0 pts behind Salem
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
0 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
437k metro
722k metro
Salem has 14.0x fewer events per month than Daytona Beach.
the verdict
3
Salem
categories won
4
Daytona Beach
categories won
Daytona Beach wins on money. Salem has the edge on lifestyle.
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