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→Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is LSU football, the Mississippi River bending past downtown, and the kind of food (gumbo, jambalaya, boudin, po'boys) that makes you want to lie down after lunch. The Louisiana state capitol is the tallest in the country, a 34-story Art Deco tower that looks more like a Manhattan office building. Cajun warmth runs through everything, with a slightly more buttoned-up daily pace than New Orleans.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,361/mo
$1,734/mo less than San Luis Obispo (127%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$250k
$684k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,722/mo
Baton Rouge has $2,259/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
187 days
116 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
25 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Baton Rouge has 11 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
50 / 100
18.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
874k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.5x fewer events per month than Baton Rouge.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
4
Baton Rouge
categories won
Baton Rouge wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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