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→Springfield
Springfield is the birthplace of Route 66 (the road was officially named in a meeting here in 1926), Bass Pro Shops' world headquarters, and the gateway to the Ozarks. Wonders of Wildlife (next to the Bass Pro store) is genuinely one of the best aquariums in America. The city itself is friendly, affordable, and surprisingly leafy. Branson is 30 miles south for the lake-and-show experience.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,249/mo
$1,564/mo less than Salinas (125%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$268k
$594k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,693/mo
Springfield has $1,948/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
170 days
165 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
12 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
20 days
days below 20°F per year
Springfield has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas. Springfield drops below 20°F on 20 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
50 / 100
21.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
9 routes
3 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
491k metro
the verdict
4
Salinas
categories won
5
Springfield
categories won
Springfield wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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