$100k a year, no longer in Des Moines
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
more each month than Des Moines ran you
Santa Rosa doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what Santa Rosa is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
a quick ledger.
$2,597/mo
105% more expensive than Des Moines(vs $1,268/mo)
9.3%
$275/mo more in state tax than Des Moines
vs 6% in Des Moines
$4,961/mo
$1,604 less than Des Moines
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$817k
173% more expensive than Des Moines
vs $300k in Des Moines
482k
vs 737k in Des Moines
field notes, weather & such.
254
pleasant days a year, in santa rosa.
Des Moines barely cracks 151 pleasant ones. Summers run hot, though: 28 days above 95° vs Des Moines's 7.
Noticeably quieter than Des Moines. About 98% fewer events on a typical month.
69/100
25% higher than Des Moines
vs 55/100 in Des Moines
Closest outdoor draw: Sonoma Coast State Park, 17.4 mi.
98/100
26% higher than Des Moines
vs 78/100 in Des Moines
4
76% fewer than Des Moines
vs 17 nonstops in Des Moines
neighbors of santa rosa on the map of tradeoffs:
compare santa rosa with:
