on $100k a year, leaving Milwaukee

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San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

swapping out of milwaukee

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

$1,844

more each month than Milwaukee ran you

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

106% more expensive than Milwaukee(vs $1,504/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$252/mo more in state tax than Milwaukee

vs 6.27% in Milwaukee

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$1,844 less than Milwaukee

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

04a house here

$934k

137% more expensive than Milwaukee

vs $394k in Milwaukee

05metro size

282k

vs 1.6M in Milwaukee

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Milwaukee barely cracks 149 pleasant ones.

Noticeably quieter than Milwaukee. About 86% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

11% higher than Milwaukee

vs 61/100 in Milwaukee

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

·walk score®

98/100

0% lower than Milwaukee

vs 98/100 in Milwaukee

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

90% fewer than Milwaukee

vs 30 nonstops in Milwaukee

04 · see also

cities that play in san luis obispo's register:

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