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→Fort Collins
Fort Collins is the home of New Belgium Brewing (Fat Tire's origin) and a thriving craft beer scene with more breweries than Boulder. Old Town's brick streets and historic storefronts are charming enough that they're said to have influenced Disney's Main Street USA designers. CSU keeps the energy young. The foothills rise right outside town, and Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away. Quieter than Boulder, less expensive.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,971/mo
$842/mo less than Salinas (43%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$572k
$289k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$5,996/mo
Fort Collins has $1,251/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
177 days
158 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
44 days
days below 20°F per year
Fort Collins has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas. Fort Collins drops below 20°F on 44 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
69 / 100
2.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
169 routes
163 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
371k metro
the verdict
4
Salinas
categories won
5
Fort Collins
categories won
Fort Collins wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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