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→Hickory
Hickory is North Carolina's furniture capital, with the Hickory Furniture Mart and the surrounding factories shaping the local economy. The downtown has come back nicely with breweries and a walkable feel. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town. Lake Hickory is right there for boating. Cheaper than the bigger NC cities, with mountain access an hour away.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,456/mo less than San Diego (102%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$268k
$742k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,524/mo
Hickory has $1,856/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
189 days
143 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Hickory has 11 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
64 / 100
11.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
0 routes
55 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
370k metro
San Diego has 9.2x more events per month than Hickory.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Hickory
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Hickory wins on money. Dead even.
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