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→Madison
Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes, with the state capitol gleaming on one end and the University of Wisconsin sprawling on the other. The Saturday farmers market around the Capitol Square is one of the best in the country. Cheese curds, brats, and beer are mandatory food groups. The Terrace at Memorial Union, looking out at Lake Mendota, is the unofficial heart of the city in summer.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,673/mo
$1,140/mo less than Salinas (68%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$465k
$397k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,138/mo
Madison has $1,393/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
147 days
188 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
71 days
days below 20°F per year
Madison drops below 20°F on 71 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
67 / 100
4.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
11 routes
5 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
694k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Madison
categories won
Madison wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
run your numbers
How far does your Salinas salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works