$100k a year, no longer in Austin

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San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

swapping out of austin

San Luis Obispo

ca · metro 282k

photo: Juan Montes / pexels

a dispatch from

san luis obispo

CA

35.28°N

120.66°W

San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.

metro282k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,287

more expensive each month than Austin

San Luis Obispo doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what San Luis Obispo is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
landable, recorded on the san luis obispo entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,095/mo

96% more expensive than Austin(vs $1,583/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$775/mo more in state tax than Austin

vs 0% in Austin

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$2,287 less than Austin

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$934k

116% more expensive than Austin

vs $433k in Austin

05metro size

282k

vs 2.5M in Austin

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Austin barely cracks 170 pleasant ones.

But the calendar thins out: Austin stays 12.0× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

21% higher than Austin

vs 56/100 in Austin

Closest outdoor draw: Montaña de Oro State Park, 6.7 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

1% lower than Austin

vs 99/100 in Austin

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

93% fewer than Austin

vs 42 nonstops in Austin

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as san luis obispo:

see also

oxnard

$100/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

honolulu

$111/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

naples

$1,151/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare san luis obispo with:

OxnardHonoluluNaples