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→Reno
Reno calls itself the Biggest Little City in the World and means it: casinos and neon, sure, but also a quietly cool downtown, a strong outdoor culture (Tahoe is 45 minutes south), and the Truckee River running right through the middle of everything. The University of Nevada keeps things young. Burning Man buses depart from here every August. Sunnier and drier than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,908/mo
$905/mo less than Salinas (47%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$574k
$288k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,425/mo
Reno has $1,680/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
201 days
134 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
28 days
days below 20°F per year
Reno drops below 20°F on 28 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
71 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
13 routes
7 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
565k metro
the verdict
2
Salinas
categories won
5
Reno
categories won
Reno wins on money and lifestyle. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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