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→Columbus
Columbus is on the Chattahoochee River, with the longest urban whitewater course in the world (since 2013) running right through downtown for rafting and surfing waves. Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) is the city's anchor. The Riverwalk stretches for miles. The downtown has come back nicely with restaurants and breweries. Smaller and friendlier than the city's industrial reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,264/mo
$1,831/mo less than San Luis Obispo (145%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$208k
$726k 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
$6,612/mo
Columbus has $2,149/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
177 days
126 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
39 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Columbus has 25 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
47 / 100
21.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
1 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
329k metro
San Luis Obispo has 2.3x fewer events per month than Columbus.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
4
Columbus
categories won
Columbus wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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