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→Atlanta
Atlanta is hip-hop's current capital, with 'Peachtree' in seemingly every other street name and the busiest airport in the world acting as the city's front door. The Beltline turned old rail corridors into a 22-mile loop of murals, breweries, and joggers. Food culture spans soul food, Vietnamese banh mi in Buford Highway strip malls, and barbecue. The tree canopy is one of the densest in any major American city.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,814/mo
$1,281/mo less than San Luis Obispo (71%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$386k
$548k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,062/mo
Atlanta has $1,599/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
204 days
99 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Atlanta.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
67 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
217 routes
214 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
6.3M metro
San Luis Obispo has 23.9x fewer events per month than Atlanta.
the verdict
1
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Atlanta
categories won
Atlanta wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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