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→Duluth
Duluth sits on the western tip of Lake Superior, with the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge lifting for ships entering the harbor. Bob Dylan was born here. The lakefront walking path goes for miles. Canal Park has the local food and brewery scene. Summer hiking, kayaking, and shoreline views are jaw-dropping, and winter turns the city into a snow-lit lakeside cathedral. Wild and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,559/mo
$1,331/mo less than San Diego (85%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$252k
$758k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,120/mo
Duluth has $1,452/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
132 days
200 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
105 days
days below 20°F per year
Duluth drops below 20°F on 105 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
73 / 100
2.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
4 routes
51 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
282k metro
San Diego has 5.8x more events per month than Duluth.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Duluth
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Duluth wins on money. Dead even.
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