01 · the cities
San Diego
San Diego is the city most Californians secretly wish they lived in: 70°F, sunny, and a beach for every mood. Fish tacos are religion, Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park and packed with museums, and the craft beer scene is one of the best in the country. The zoo is world-famous and the burritos are aggressively underrated. Even the freeways feel relaxed here.
full dispatch→Albany
Albany is one of the oldest chartered cities in America (1686), with the New York state capitol building wearing every architectural style from Romanesque to Victorian on different sides. The Hudson River and the surrounding Adirondacks and Berkshires give it a serious nature backbone. Five colleges feed in young energy, and Lark Street is the local main drag for food and bars. Quieter than its neighbors, and full of layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,643/mo
$1,247/mo less than San Diego (76%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$361k
$649k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,203/mo
Albany has $1,535/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
332 days
147 days
185 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
62 days
days below 20°F per year
Albany drops below 20°F on 62 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
72 / 100
3.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
19 routes
36 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
905k metro
San Diego has 6.7x more events per month than Albany.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Albany
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Albany wins on money. Dead even.
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