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→Fresno
Fresno sits at the heart of the most productive farm region in the world, with almonds, grapes, and stone fruit stretching to every horizon. It's the gateway to Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon (three of the country's best national parks all under two hours away). The food scene leans on incredible local produce and a deep Mexican and Hmong food culture. Underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,999/mo
$891/mo less than San Diego (45%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$418k
$593k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$5,559/mo
Fresno has $891/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
206 days
126 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
107 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Fresno has 107 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
66 / 100
9.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
11 routes
44 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
1.2M metro
San Diego has 4.6x more events per month than Fresno.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
3
Fresno
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle. Fresno has the edge on money.
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