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→Tallahassee
Tallahassee feels more like south Georgia than Florida: oak canopies, rolling hills, and red clay. It's the state capital, home to Florida State (Seminole football is a religion) and FAMU, and surrounded by some of the best springs in the country (Wakulla and Wakulla Springs State Park are 20 minutes south). The food scene leans southern with serious Cuban influence. Cooler in summer than the rest of the state.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,527/mo
$1,363/mo less than San Diego (89%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$289k
$722k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,806/mo
Tallahassee has $2,138/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
186 days
146 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
35 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Tallahassee has 35 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
7 routes
48 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
393k metro
San Diego has 87.0x more events per month than Tallahassee.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Tallahassee
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Tallahassee wins on money. Dead even.
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