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→Richmond
Richmond is one of the only major U.S. cities with class IV whitewater rapids running right through downtown. The James River's Belle Isle is a public park where people sunbathe on boulders mid-river. The Fan and Carytown neighborhoods are full of murals, vintage shops, and porches built for sitting. The food scene leans creative, the beer scene leans plentiful, and VCU keeps the arts energy buzzing.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,691/mo
$1,199/mo less than San Diego (71%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$394k
$616k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,163/mo
Richmond has $1,495/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
172 days
160 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
18 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
9 days
days below 20°F per year
Richmond has 18 more days above 95°F each year than San Diego. Richmond drops below 20°F on 9 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
65 / 100
10.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
19 routes
36 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
1.4M metro
San Diego has 3.0x more events per month than Richmond.
the verdict
5
San Diego
categories won
4
Richmond
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle. Richmond has the edge on money.
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