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 Wayne
Fort Wayne sits where three rivers meet (the St. Joseph, the St. Marys, and the Maumee), and the riverfront has been transforming into a real public space. The Children's Zoo is consistently ranked among the country's best. It's the second-largest city in Indiana, with the friendly small-town feel still intact. Cheap, easy, and quietly improving.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,187/mo
$1,626/mo less than Salinas (137%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$254k
$608k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,896/mo
Fort Wayne has $2,151/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
161 days
174 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
38 days
days below 20°F per year
Fort Wayne drops below 20°F on 38 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
46 / 100
25.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
10 routes
4 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
458k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Fort Wayne
categories won
Fort Wayne wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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