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→Indianapolis
Indianapolis circles its downtown with a literal loop (the Mile Square) and hosts the Indy 500 every Memorial Day weekend like clockwork. Basketball is woven into the state DNA (Hoosiers, the movie, is essentially a documentary). The Cultural Trail connects six districts on bike-friendly paths through the heart of downtown. The food scene has quietly leveled up.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,511/mo
$1,379/mo less than San Diego (91%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$296k
$715k 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
$6,572/mo
Indianapolis has $1,904/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
174 days
158 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
30 days
days below 20°F per year
Indianapolis drops below 20°F on 30 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
62 / 100
13.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
35 routes
20 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
2.1M metro
San Diego has 2.0x more events per month than Indianapolis.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Indianapolis
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Indianapolis wins on money. Dead even.
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