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→Worcester
Worcester (pronounced 'WOO-stuh', please) is triple-deckers, classic American diners (the city helped invent the diner), and a college-heavy student population (Clark, Holy Cross, WPI, and a dozen more). The smiley face was invented here in 1963. It's central Massachusetts' working-class anchor and quietly gaining a real food scene. Cheaper than Boston, an hour away when you need it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$2,140/mo
$750/mo less than San Diego (35%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$486k
$525k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$5,777/mo
Worcester has $1,109/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
148 days
184 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
55 days
days below 20°F per year
Worcester drops below 20°F on 55 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
59 / 100
16.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
2 routes
53 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
867k metro
San Diego has 5.8x more events per month than Worcester.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Worcester
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Worcester wins on money. Dead even.
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