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→Santa Rosa
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.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$2,597/mo
$732/mo less than New York (28%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$817k
$78k 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
$4,961/mo
Santa Rosa has $851/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
254 days
83 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
28 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 27 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
69 / 100
9.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
4 routes
211 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
482k metro
New York has 3907.0x more events per month than Santa Rosa.
the verdict
4
New York
categories won
5
Santa Rosa
categories won
Santa Rosa wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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