01 · the cities
New York
New York is the city that refuses to take a nap. Five boroughs of bodegas, bagels, late-night dollar slices, and entire neighborhoods that switch languages every six blocks. The subway is a 472-station miracle that runs all night, and Central Park is the green lung that keeps Manhattan sane. You will spend more than you planned and love every minute of it.
full dispatch→San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$3,095/mo
$234/mo less than New York (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$934k
$195k more than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$4,463/mo
San Luis Obispo has $353/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
171 days
303 days
132 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
14 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 13 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
68 / 100
10.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
3 routes
212 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
282k metro
New York has 390.7x more events per month than San Luis Obispo.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
5
San Luis Obispo
categories won
San Luis Obispo wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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