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→Toledo
Toledo is the Glass City, with a long history of glassmaking (Owens-Illinois, Libbey, Pilkington), and the Toledo Museum of Art's glass pavilion is genuinely world-class and free. The Mud Hens (yes, Klinger's team) play minor league ball downtown. Sitting between Detroit and Cleveland on Lake Erie, Toledo has serious walleye fishing and a real lake-town pace. Cheaper than its bigger neighbors.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,813/mo
$1,197/mo
$1,616/mo less than Salinas (135%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$196k
$666k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$6,804/mo
Toledo has $2,059/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
159 days
176 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
38 days
days below 20°F per year
Toledo drops below 20°F on 38 more days per year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
55 / 100
16.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
600k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
4
Toledo
categories won
Toledo wins on money. Salinas has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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