01 · the cities
San Jose
San Jose is Silicon Valley's anchor city, much bigger than San Francisco by population, and culturally underrated because everyone drives through it on the way somewhere else. The Vietnamese food scene (especially in Little Saigon) is one of the best in the country. The weather is impossibly mild, the Santa Cruz Mountains rise to the west, and the tech money funds a genuinely excellent restaurant scene.
full dispatch→Buffalo
Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,470/mo
$1,374/mo
$2,096/mo less than San Jose (153%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.8M
$280k
$1.5M less than San Jose
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,088/mo
$6,472/mo
Buffalo has $2,384/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
283 days
152 days
131 fewer than San Jose
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
19 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
42 days
days below 20°F per year
San Jose has 19 more days above 95°F each year than Buffalo. Buffalo drops below 20°F on 42 more days per year than San Jose.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
70 / 100
66 / 100
4.0 pts behind San Jose
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
29 routes
20 routes
9 fewer direct routes than San Jose
Metro size
Metro size
1.9M metro
1.2M metro
San Jose and Buffalo have similar event volume.
the verdict
4
San Jose
categories won
5
Buffalo
categories won
Buffalo wins on money. San Jose has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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