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→Charlotte
Charlotte is banking towers (it's the second-biggest banking center in the country after NYC) wrapped in pine trees and southern hospitality. Uptown is the downtown (Charlotteans correct you on this immediately), the NASCAR Hall of Fame anchors a real motorsport scene, and the Whitewater Center lets you raft inside the city limits. Growth is fast, breweries are everywhere, and barbecue gets the Carolina vinegar treatment.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,728/mo
$1,162/mo less than San Diego (67%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$391k
$619k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,230/mo
Charlotte has $1,562/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
200 days
132 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Charlotte has 7 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
51 / 100
24.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
141 routes
86 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
2.8M metro
San Diego has 1.5x more events per month than Charlotte.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
5
Charlotte
categories won
Charlotte wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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