on $100k a year, leaving Hickory
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
pricier each month than Hickory
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
81% more expensive than Hickory(vs $1,434/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Hickory
vs 4.5% in Hickory
$4,961/mo
$1,563 less than Hickory
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$817k
205% more expensive than Hickory
vs $268k in Hickory
482k
vs 370k in Hickory
field notes, weather & such.
254
pleasant days a year, in santa rosa.
Hickory only logs 189 pleasant days. Summers run hot, though: 28 days above 95° vs Hickory's 11.
But the calendar thins out: Hickory stays 19.0× busier.
69/100
8% higher than Hickory
vs 64/100 in Hickory
Closest outdoor draw: Sonoma Coast State Park, 17.4 mi.
98/100
40% higher than Hickory
vs 70/100 in Hickory
4
0% fewer than Hickory
vs 0 nonstops in Hickory
neighbors of santa rosa on the map of tradeoffs:
compare santa rosa with:
