01 · the cities
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→Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach has hard-packed sand you can actually drive your car on (yes, on the beach, it's a tradition). The Daytona 500 brings NASCAR to town every February and shakes the whole city awake. Bike Week is its own beast. Outside of the events, it's a quieter Florida beach town than its reputation suggests, with affordable oceanfront and the Halifax River making the geography interesting.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,675/mo
$1,784/mo
$109/mo more than Wilmington (6%)
Median home price
Median home price
$448k
$331k
$117k less than Wilmington
State income tax
State income tax
4.5%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,283/mo
$6,549/mo
Daytona Beach has $266/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
235 days
212 days
23 fewer than Wilmington
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Daytona Beach has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Wilmington.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
54 / 100
63 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of Wilmington
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
5 routes
2 routes
3 fewer direct routes than Wilmington
Metro size
Metro size
467k metro
722k metro
Wilmington has 1.4x more events per month than Daytona Beach.
the verdict
4
Wilmington
categories won
4
Daytona Beach
categories won
Wilmington wins on weather, Daytona Beach wins on money. Dead even.
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