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→Clarksville
Clarksville is anchored by Fort Campbell (just across the Kentucky line, home of the 101st Airborne), with a growing downtown and the Cumberland River curving past. There's a quieter charm here, a strong military community, and quick access to Nashville (45 minutes south). Affordable, growing fast, and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,337/mo
$1,758/mo less than San Luis Obispo (131%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$294k
$641k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,996/mo
Clarksville has $2,533/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
173 days
130 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
9 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
15 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 5 more days above 95°F each year than Clarksville. Clarksville drops below 20°F on 15 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
51 / 100
17.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
47 routes
44 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
337k metro
San Luis Obispo has 5.0x more events per month than Clarksville.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Clarksville
categories won
Clarksville wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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