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→Detroit
Detroit is Motown, techno's birthplace, auto-industry bones, and a comeback story that's actually happening. Coney dogs come with chili and onions, the riverfront looks across at Canada (yes, Canada is south of Detroit), and the murals in Eastern Market could fill an art book. Cass Corridor, Corktown, Mexicantown: every neighborhood feels like its own city. The architecture downtown is genuinely jaw-dropping.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,472/mo
$1,418/mo less than San Diego (96%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$262k
$748k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,507/mo
Detroit has $1,839/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
160 days
172 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
37 days
days below 20°F per year
Detroit drops below 20°F on 37 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
47 / 100
28.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
135 routes
80 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
4.3M metro
San Diego has 1.9x more events per month than Detroit.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
5
Detroit
categories won
Detroit wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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