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→Jacksonville
Jacksonville is the largest city in the continental U.S. by land area, which means everything is 20 minutes from everything else and most of those 20 minutes involve a bridge. The St. Johns River cuts the city in half, the beaches are a quick drive east, and the food scene leans seafood and surprisingly excellent BBQ. It's a Florida city without the theme-park vibe.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,679/mo
$1,211/mo less than San Diego (72%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$358k
$653k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,654/mo
Jacksonville has $1,986/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
198 days
134 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
27 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Jacksonville has 27 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
26 routes
29 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
1.7M metro
San Diego has 3.3x more events per month than Jacksonville.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Jacksonville
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Jacksonville wins on money. Dead even.
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