01 · the cities
Salinas
Salinas is the Salad Bowl of the World, where most of the country's leafy greens, strawberries, and broccoli come from. John Steinbeck grew up here and the National Steinbeck Center downtown is excellent. The Salinas Rodeo is a century-old summer event. The Monterey Bay is 20 minutes west, but the city itself is a working ag town with strong Mexican-American culture.
full dispatch→Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is the University of Michigan, with the Big House (Michigan Stadium) holding over 107,000 people on football Saturdays, making it briefly the third-largest city in Michigan. Downtown is tree-lined brick streets, great independent bookstores, and a food scene with strong Middle Eastern and Korean energy. Zingerman's Deli is a national pilgrimage. The Huron River runs through. College town energy at its best.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$2,082/mo
$731/mo less than Salinas (35%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$429k
$432k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$5,897/mo
Ann Arbor has $1,152/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
335 days
154 days
181 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
51 days
days below 20°F per year
Ann Arbor drops below 20°F on 51 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
56 / 100
15.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
135 routes
129 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
366k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Ann Arbor
categories won
Ann Arbor wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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