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→Albany
Albany is one of the oldest chartered cities in America (1686), with the New York state capitol building wearing every architectural style from Romanesque to Victorian on different sides. The Hudson River and the surrounding Adirondacks and Berkshires give it a serious nature backbone. Five colleges feed in young energy, and Lark Street is the local main drag for food and bars. Quieter than its neighbors, and full of layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,643/mo
$1,452/mo less than San Luis Obispo (88%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$361k
$573k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,203/mo
Albany has $1,740/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
147 days
156 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
62 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 14 more days above 95°F each year than Albany. Albany drops below 20°F on 62 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
72 / 100
4.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
19 routes
16 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
905k metro
San Luis Obispo has 2.6x fewer events per month than Albany.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
7
Albany
categories won
Albany wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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