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→Kennewick
Kennewick is part of the Tri-Cities (with Pasco and Richland), sitting at the confluence of the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers in eastern Washington. The Columbia Valley wine region (Walla Walla is 45 minutes east) is one of the most acclaimed in the country. It's sunny, dry, and much cheaper than the Seattle side. The Hanford Reach is a hauntingly beautiful stretch of the Columbia. Underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,686/mo
$1,127/mo less than Salinas (67%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$441k
$421k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,647/mo
Kennewick has $1,902/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
199 days
136 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
26 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
8 days
days below 20°F per year
Kennewick has 26 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas. Kennewick drops below 20°F on 8 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
74 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
8 routes
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
314k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Kennewick
categories won
Kennewick wins on money and lifestyle. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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