01 · the cities
Salinas
Salinas is the Salad Bowl of the World, where most of the country's leafy greens, strawberries, and broccoli come from. John Steinbeck grew up here and the National Steinbeck Center downtown is excellent. The Salinas Rodeo is a century-old summer event. The Monterey Bay is 20 minutes west, but the city itself is a working ag town with strong Mexican-American culture.
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
$2,813/mo
$2,597/mo
$216/mo less than Salinas (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$862k
$817k
$44k less than Salinas
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,745/mo
$4,961/mo
Santa Rosa has $216/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
335 days
254 days
81 fewer than Salinas
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
28 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
71 / 100
69 / 100
2.0 pts behind Salinas
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
6 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
431k metro
482k metro
the verdict
3
Salinas
categories won
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
Salinas wins on weather and lifestyle, Santa Rosa wins on money. Dead even.
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