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→Montgomery
Montgomery is civil rights ground zero: Rosa Parks' bus, the start of the Selma march, Dr. King's Dexter Avenue church. The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (the lynching memorial) are essential and devastating in equal measure. The city is also the Alabama state capital, with the river curving past, and the food and music scenes have grown up in the last decade. Heavy and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,376/mo
$1,514/mo less than San Diego (110%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$212k
$799k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,541/mo
Montgomery has $1,873/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
181 days
151 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
29 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Montgomery has 29 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
44 / 100
31.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
3 routes
52 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
385k metro
San Diego has 5.4x more events per month than Montgomery.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Montgomery
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Montgomery wins on money. Dead even.
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