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→Augusta
Augusta is the home of the Masters golf tournament and James Brown's adopted hometown (statue downtown), with the Savannah River running past and old Southern charm in the historic district. The Augusta National is private and mostly hidden, but Masters week shapes the whole city's rhythm. Outside that, it's a slower-paced river town with surprising depth.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,443/mo
$1,652/mo less than San Luis Obispo (114%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$247k
$687k 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
$6,433/mo
Augusta has $1,970/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
191 days
112 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
29 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Augusta has 15 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
46 / 100
22.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
628k metro
San Luis Obispo has 3.3x more events per month than Augusta.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
4
Augusta
categories won
Augusta wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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