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→Dallas
Dallas is Stetsons next to skyscrapers, Tex-Mex with queso flowing freely, and a barbecue scene that quietly competes with Austin's. The arts district downtown is enormous and free to wander, while Bishop Arts and Deep Ellum bring the indie energy. Football is its own religion (high school, college, and Cowboys all year round). The bigness is real, and the city wears it well.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,647/mo
$1,166/mo less than Salinas (71%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$367k
$495k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,686/mo
Dallas has $1,941/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
171 days
164 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
40 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Dallas has 40 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
57 / 100
14.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
190 routes
184 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
8.1M metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Dallas
categories won
Dallas wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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