with $100k coming in, swapping out of Birmingham
changea dispatch from
santa rosa
CA
38.44°N
122.71°W
Santa Rosa is the gateway to Sonoma wine country, less polished than Napa but more lived-in. Charles Schulz lived here and the Snoopy museum is a delight. The Russian River redwoods are 30 minutes west. The city itself has rebuilt impressively after the 2017 fires, with a downtown that mixes wineries, breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants. Cooler than San Francisco in summer.
the verdict
the monthly premium over Birmingham
Santa Rosa costs noticeably more than Birmingham. You'd be paying for Santa Rosa itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$2,597/mo
85% more expensive than Birmingham(vs $1,407/mo)
9.3%
$358/mo more in state tax than Birmingham
vs 5% in Birmingham
$4,961/mo
$1,549 less than Birmingham
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$817k
214% more expensive than Birmingham
vs $261k in Birmingham
482k
vs 1.2M in Birmingham
field notes, weather & such.
254
pleasant days a year, in santa rosa.
Birmingham only manages 171 of those.
Noticeably quieter than Birmingham. About 99% fewer events on a typical month.
69/100
13% higher than Birmingham
vs 61/100 in Birmingham
Closest outdoor draw: Sonoma Coast State Park, 17.4 mi.
98/100
24% higher than Birmingham
vs 79/100 in Birmingham
4
80% fewer than Birmingham
vs 20 nonstops in Birmingham
neighbors of santa rosa on the map of tradeoffs:
compare santa rosa with:
