01 · the cities
Sarasota
Sarasota is the home of the Ringling Brothers Circus (the museum is wild, and yes, there's a vintage clown college history), and Siesta Key's beach is regularly named the best in America for its pure quartz sand. The cultural scene is heavy for a Florida city of its size (theater, opera, art museum). Gulf sunsets here are the brochure shot. The food scene has caught up to the city's wealth and the retirees' time.
full dispatch→Wilmington
Wilmington has been called 'Hollywood East' for the volume of film and TV produced here (Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, and dozens of features). The historic riverfront on the Cape Fear is genuinely charming, and Wrightsville Beach is 15 minutes away. The food scene punches above its weight, especially seafood. UNCW keeps it youthful. A coastal city with both beach and downtown charm.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,121/mo
$1,675/mo
$446/mo less than Sarasota (27%)
Median home price
Median home price
$423k
$448k
$25k more than Sarasota
State income tax
State income tax
0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,212/mo
$6,283/mo
Wilmington has $71/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
249 days
235 days
14 fewer than Sarasota
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Sarasota edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
54 / 100
5.0 pts behind Sarasota
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
5 routes
Metro size
Metro size
262k metro
467k metro
Sarasota has 6.7x fewer events per month than Wilmington.
the verdict
4
Sarasota
categories won
2
Wilmington
categories won
Sarasota leads on weather and lifestyle and wins overall.
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