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→Columbia
Columbia is the South Carolina capital, USC Gamecock country, and home to one of the largest urban rivers (the Congaree) flowing right past downtown. The Saluda River outside town is a tubing destination locals swear by, and Congaree National Park's old-growth cypress is a 30-minute drive. The state museum is a sleeper good time. Slower-paced than Charleston, less touristy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,551/mo
$1,544/mo less than San Luis Obispo (100%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$255k
$679k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,241/mo
Columbia has $1,778/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
189 days
114 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
27 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbia has 13 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
55 / 100
13.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
10 routes
7 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
857k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.9x fewer events per month than Columbia.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Columbia
categories won
Columbia wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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