same $100k income, fresh start from Boston
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
cheaper each month than Boston
On paper, Santa Rosa and Boston are twins. In practice they live very differently.
a quick ledger.
$2,597/mo
17% cheaper than Boston(vs $3,145/mo)
9.3%
$358/mo more in state tax than Boston
vs 5% in Boston
$4,961/mo
$189 more than Boston
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$817k
6% more expensive than Boston
vs $771k in Boston
482k
vs 4.9M in Boston
field notes, weather & such.
254
pleasant days a year, in santa rosa.
Boston keeps to 160 pleasant days a year. Warm, not extreme: 28 days clear 95°, vs 2 back in Boston.
Lighter on events: Boston packs 168.0× more into a month.
69/100
3% lower than Boston
vs 71/100 in Boston
Closest outdoor draw: Sonoma Coast State Park, 17.4 mi.
98/100
0% lower than Boston
vs 98/100 in Boston
4
96% fewer than Boston
vs 103 nonstops in Boston
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