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→Milwaukee
Milwaukee is beer (the Pabst and Miller legacy still hangs in the air), bratwurst (with the proper amount of mustard, please), and a Lake Michigan shoreline that goes on forever. Frozen custard is a regional specialty and a serious one. The Calatrava-designed art museum has wings that literally open and close on Lake Michigan. Friendly here means you'll have a new friend by the second beer.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,504/mo
$1,309/mo less than Salinas (87%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$394k
$467k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,307/mo
Milwaukee has $1,562/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
149 days
186 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
62 days
days below 20°F per year
Milwaukee drops below 20°F on 62 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
61 / 100
10.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
30 routes
24 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
1.6M metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Milwaukee
categories won
Milwaukee wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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