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→Spartanburg
Spartanburg is the Upstate of South Carolina, with rolling foothills, peach orchards (yes, South Carolina actually grows more peaches than Georgia in some years), and the largest BMW manufacturing plant in the world just outside town. The downtown's been revitalizing with breweries and restaurants. Wofford and Converse keep college energy in town. The Blue Ridge is right there.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,379/mo less than Salinas (96%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$277k
$584k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,358/mo
Spartanburg has $1,613/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
191 days
144 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Spartanburg has 16 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
68 / 100
3.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
20 routes
14 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
383k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Spartanburg
categories won
Spartanburg wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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