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→Portland
Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,781/mo
$1,109/mo less than San Diego (62%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$562k
$448k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$5,823/mo
Portland has $1,155/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
178 days
154 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Portland has 7 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
87 / 100
12.0 pts ahead of San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
57 routes
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
2.5M metro
San Diego has 1.4x more events per month than Portland.
the verdict
2
San Diego
categories won
5
Portland
categories won
Portland wins on money and lifestyle. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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