on $100k a year, leaving New Haven
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 New Haven
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
24% more expensive than New Haven(vs $2,089/mo)
9.3%
$317/mo more in state tax than New Haven
vs 5.5% in New Haven
$4,961/mo
$825 less than New Haven
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$817k
93% more expensive than New Haven
vs $424k in New Haven
482k
vs 568k in New Haven
field notes, weather & such.
254
pleasant days a year, in santa rosa.
New Haven barely cracks 155 pleasant ones. Summers run hot, though: 28 days above 95° vs New Haven's 1.
But the calendar thins out: New Haven stays 18.0× busier.
69/100
3% higher than New Haven
vs 67/100 in New Haven
Closest outdoor draw: Sonoma Coast State Park, 17.4 mi.
98/100
2% higher than New Haven
vs 96/100 in New Haven
4
300% more than New Haven
vs 1 nonstops in New Haven
neighbors of santa rosa on the map of tradeoffs:
compare santa rosa with:
