$100k salary, packing up from Harrisburg

change
San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

instead of harrisburg

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

$2,169

the monthly cost of moving past Harrisburg

San Luis Obispo is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
landable, recorded on the san luis obispo entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,095/mo

114% more expensive than Harrisburg(vs $1,446/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$519/mo more in state tax than Harrisburg

vs 3.07% in Harrisburg

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$2,169 less than Harrisburg

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

04a house here

$934k

202% more expensive than Harrisburg

vs $309k in Harrisburg

05metro size

282k

vs 606k in Harrisburg

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Harrisburg barely cracks 152 pleasant ones.

70% fewer events than Harrisburg. The pace eases up.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

1% lower than Harrisburg

vs 69/100 in Harrisburg

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

·walk score®

98/100

5% higher than Harrisburg

vs 93/100 in Harrisburg

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

75% fewer than Harrisburg

vs 12 nonstops in Harrisburg

04 · see also

neighbors of san luis obispo on the map of tradeoffs:

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