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→Houston
Houston has no zoning laws (you'll see a taco truck next to a mansion next to a strip mall), the most diverse food scene in America by most rankings, and NASA's mission control out on the edge of town. The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world. It's sprawling and culturally enormous, with a Vietnamese pho district, Nigerian jollof spots, and a Tex-Mex scene that takes itself seriously. Bigger than you think, in every direction.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,610/mo
$1,280/mo less than San Diego (80%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$311k
$699k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,723/mo
Houston has $2,055/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
171 days
161 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
54 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Houston has 54 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
55 / 100
20.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
176 routes
121 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
7.5M metro
San Diego has 1.2x fewer events per month than Houston.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
5
Houston
categories won
Houston wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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