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→Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne sits where three rivers meet (the St. Joseph, the St. Marys, and the Maumee), and the riverfront has been transforming into a real public space. The Children's Zoo is consistently ranked among the country's best. It's the second-largest city in Indiana, with the friendly small-town feel still intact. Cheap, easy, and quietly improving.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,187/mo
$1,703/mo less than San Diego (143%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$254k
$757k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,896/mo
Fort Wayne has $2,228/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
161 days
171 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
38 days
days below 20°F per year
Fort Wayne drops below 20°F on 38 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
46 / 100
29.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
10 routes
45 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
458k metro
San Diego has 8.3x more events per month than Fort Wayne.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Fort Wayne
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Fort Wayne wins on money. Dead even.
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