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→Provo
Provo is BYU and the Mormon culture's center of gravity, with a downtown that's quieter than most college towns (no Saturday football beer crowds here). The Wasatch Mountains rise right behind it, with Sundance ski resort 30 minutes up the canyon. Provo Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls are summer go-tos. The tech scene (Qualtrics, Domo) has reshaped the local economy. Beautiful in a calm, ordered way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,743/mo
$1,147/mo less than San Diego (66%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$559k
$451k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,203/mo
Provo has $1,535/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
171 days
161 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
12 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
44 days
days below 20°F per year
Provo has 12 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego. Provo drops below 20°F on 44 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
81 / 100
6.0 pts ahead of San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
91 routes
36 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
733k metro
San Diego has 174.0x more events per month than Provo.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
6
Provo
categories won
Provo wins on money and lifestyle. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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