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→Raleigh
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,663/mo
$1,227/mo less than San Diego (74%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$440k
$570k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,295/mo
Raleigh has $1,627/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
201 days
131 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
5 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
Raleigh has 5 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
58 / 100
17.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
39 routes
16 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
1.5M metro
San Diego has 3.7x more events per month than Raleigh.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Raleigh
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Raleigh wins on money. Dead even.
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