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→Syracuse
Syracuse averages around 120 inches of snow per year, which is the most of any major U.S. city, and locals wear it like a badge. The Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome) is the largest on-campus arena in the country. The food scene leans Italian (Salt City was an Italian immigrant hub) and excellent. The Finger Lakes are right next door. Bring boots.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,619/mo
$1,194/mo less than Salinas (74%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$254k
$608k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,227/mo
Syracuse has $1,482/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
142 days
193 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
53 days
days below 20°F per year
Syracuse drops below 20°F on 53 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
59 / 100
12.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
16 routes
10 more direct routes than Salinas
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
653k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
5
Syracuse
categories won
Syracuse wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather.
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