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→Gainesville
Gainesville is the University of Florida, the Gators, and a college town with serious natural assets: 30+ named springs within an hour's drive, including Ginnie, Devil's Den, and Ichetucknee for tubing. The food scene is solid and cheap (it's still a college town), and downtown's grown up with breweries and music venues. Surrounded by oak forests and prairie. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers got their start here.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,675/mo
$1,645/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$448k
$317k
$131k less than Wilmington
State income tax
State income tax
4.5%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,283/mo
$6,688/mo
Gainesville has $405/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
206 days
29 fewer than Wilmington
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
17 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
1 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Gainesville has 16 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
5 routes
Metro size
Metro size
467k metro
350k metro
Wilmington has 6.7x more events per month than Gainesville.
the verdict
2
Wilmington
categories won
4
Gainesville
categories won
Gainesville wins on money and lifestyle. Wilmington has the edge on weather.
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