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→Salem
Salem is the Oregon state capital, smaller and quieter than Portland (less than an hour north), with the Willamette River running through downtown and the surrounding Willamette Valley producing some of the best Pinot Noir in the world. The state capitol is topped by a gold-leaf pioneer statue. Cherry blossoms line the riverfront every spring. Affordable and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,642/mo
$1,248/mo less than San Diego (76%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$452k
$558k 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
$5,962/mo
Salem has $1,294/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
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
San Diego edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
69 / 100
6.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
0 routes
55 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
437k metro
San Diego has 174.0x more events per month than Salem.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
4
Salem
categories won
Salem wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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