$100k salary, packing up from New Orleans

change
San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

if you left new orleans

San Luis Obispo

ca · metro 282k

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

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,008

the monthly cost of moving past New Orleans

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

92% more expensive than New Orleans(vs $1,612/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$525/mo more in state tax than New Orleans

vs 3% in New Orleans

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$2,008 less than New Orleans

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

04a house here

$934k

260% more expensive than New Orleans

vs $259k in New Orleans

05metro size

282k

vs 962k in New Orleans

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

New Orleans barely cracks 235 pleasant ones.

New Orleans hosts 9.6× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

24% higher than New Orleans

vs 55/100 in New Orleans

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

·walk score®

98/100

0% lower than New Orleans

vs 98/100 in New Orleans

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

92% fewer than New Orleans

vs 39 nonstops in New Orleans

04 · see also

neighbors of san luis obispo on the map of tradeoffs:

compare san luis obispo with: