$100k a year, no longer in Minneapolis

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San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

from minneapolis

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

$1,537

more each month than Minneapolis 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

84% more expensive than Minneapolis(vs $1,679/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$121/mo more in state tax than Minneapolis

vs 7.85% in Minneapolis

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$1,537 less than Minneapolis

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

04a house here

$934k

135% more expensive than Minneapolis

vs $398k in Minneapolis

05metro size

282k

vs 3.7M in Minneapolis

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Minneapolis barely cracks 147 pleasant ones.

Minneapolis hosts 15.7× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

11% lower than Minneapolis

vs 76/100 in Minneapolis

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

·walk score®

98/100

5% higher than Minneapolis

vs 93/100 in Minneapolis

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

98% fewer than Minneapolis

vs 130 nonstops in Minneapolis

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