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→Cleveland
Cleveland is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the West Side Market's 100+ years of pierogies and bratwurst, and Lake Erie sunsets that put the coastal hype to shame. The Cuyahoga River caught fire so many times it inspired the Clean Water Act. The Cleveland Orchestra is consistently ranked among the world's best. Summers on the lake are gorgeous, and the food scene is having a real moment.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,419/mo
$1,471/mo less than San Diego (104%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$252k
$759k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,582/mo
Cleveland has $1,914/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
159 days
173 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
27 days
days below 20°F per year
Cleveland drops below 20°F on 27 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
63 / 100
12.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
56 routes
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
2.2M metro
San Diego has 2.0x more events per month than Cleveland.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
4
Cleveland
categories won
Cleveland wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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