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→Minneapolis
Minneapolis is 22 lakes inside city limits, an extensive skyway system that lets you cross downtown in February without a coat, and a music legacy that runs from Prince to The Replacements. Summer is a glorious lake-jumping, ice-cream-licking festival. Winter is sauna-and-skate season, with rinks on every lake and cross-country trails stitched through the city. Walleye is on every menu.
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
$398k
$612k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,000/mo
Minneapolis has $1,332/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
147 days
185 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
84 days
days below 20°F per year
Minneapolis drops below 20°F on 84 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
76 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
130 routes
75 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
3.7M metro
San Diego has 1.1x more events per month than Minneapolis.
the verdict
2
San Diego
categories won
5
Minneapolis
categories won
Minneapolis wins on money and lifestyle. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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