on $100k a year, leaving Fayetteville

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San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

from fayetteville

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

$2,018

more each month than Fayetteville ran you

A real premium for San Luis Obispo. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
landable, recorded on the san luis obispo entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,095/mo

110% more expensive than Fayetteville(vs $1,477/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$400/mo more in state tax than Fayetteville

vs 4.5% in Fayetteville

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$2,018 less than Fayetteville

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

04a house here

$934k

263% more expensive than Fayetteville

vs $258k in Fayetteville

05metro size

282k

vs 392k in Fayetteville

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Fayetteville keeps to 193 pleasant days a year.

But the calendar thins out: Fayetteville stays 1.5× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

33% higher than Fayetteville

vs 51/100 in Fayetteville

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

·walk score®

98/100

29% higher than Fayetteville

vs 76/100 in Fayetteville

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

25% fewer than Fayetteville

vs 4 nonstops in Fayetteville

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