01 · the cities
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→Akron
Akron was the Rubber City (Goodyear, Firestone, BFGoodrich all built here), and the legacy still shapes its industrial bones. LeBron James is from Akron and never forgets it. The Goodyear blimp is based in town. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is just north, with waterfalls and rail-trails. Cheaper than Cleveland, with its own quiet charm.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,259/mo
$1,836/mo less than San Luis Obispo (146%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$236k
$698k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,742/mo
Akron has $2,279/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
303 days
152 days
151 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
40 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 13 more days above 95°F each year than Akron. Akron drops below 20°F on 40 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
65 / 100
3.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
11 routes
8 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
698k metro
San Luis Obispo has 3.3x fewer events per month than Akron.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Akron
categories won
Akron wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
run your numbers
How far does your San Luis Obispo salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works