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→Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is the Grand Strand's anchor, with 60 miles of beach, more than 80 mini golf courses (it might be the mini golf capital of America), and a boardwalk packed with arcades and pancake houses. Calabash-style fried seafood is a thing. It's a family beach town, full stop, with affordable oceanfront and easy access to Charleston a few hours south.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,727/mo
$1,086/mo less than Salinas (63%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$361k
$501k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,065/mo
Myrtle Beach has $1,320/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
249 days
86 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
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Salinas edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
58 / 100
13.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
23 routes
17 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
397k metro
the verdict
2
Salinas
categories won
5
Myrtle Beach
categories won
Myrtle Beach wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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