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→Lafayette
Lafayette is the unofficial capital of Cajun country, with zydeco music spilling out of dance halls, crawfish boils that count as social events, and gumbo so dark and rich it should be served with a nap. Mardi Gras here is huge but more family-friendly than New Orleans. The food (boudin, etouffee, cracklins) is the main reason to be here. Friendly in a way that's hard to fake.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,332/mo
$1,481/mo less than Salinas (111%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$200k
$662k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,751/mo
Lafayette has $2,006/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
211 days
124 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Lafayette has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
43 / 100
28.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
3 routes
3 fewer direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
414k metro
the verdict
4
Salinas
categories won
4
Lafayette
categories won
Salinas wins on weather and lifestyle, Lafayette wins on money. Dead even.
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