on $100k a year, leaving Wilmington
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 Wilmington
A real premium for Santa Rosa. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$2,597/mo
55% more expensive than Wilmington(vs $1,675/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Wilmington
vs 4.5% in Wilmington
$4,961/mo
$1,322 less than Wilmington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$817k
82% more expensive than Wilmington
vs $448k in Wilmington
482k
vs 467k in Wilmington
field notes, weather & such.
254
pleasant days a year, in santa rosa.
Wilmington keeps to 235 pleasant days a year. Summer is real but not punishing: 28 days top 95° vs Wilmington's 1.
But the calendar thins out: Wilmington stays 20.0× busier.
69/100
28% higher than Wilmington
vs 54/100 in Wilmington
Closest outdoor draw: Sonoma Coast State Park, 17.4 mi.
98/100
46% higher than Wilmington
vs 67/100 in Wilmington
4
20% fewer than Wilmington
vs 5 nonstops in Wilmington
neighbors of santa rosa on the map of tradeoffs:
compare santa rosa with:
