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→Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the Strip's neon dream, the desert's quiet edges, and a food scene that has quietly become world-class on the back of all those visiting chefs. Red Rock Canyon is 20 minutes from the Bellagio fountains, which is a useful reset button. Pools open in April and parties go until sunrise. Locals know the best restaurants are always one block off the Strip.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,731/mo
$1,082/mo less than Salinas (63%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$451k
$411k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,602/mo
Las Vegas has $1,857/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
210 days
125 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
104 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Las Vegas has 104 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
80 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
133 routes
127 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
2.3M metro
the verdict
2
Salinas
categories won
6
Las Vegas
categories won
Las Vegas wins on money and lifestyle. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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