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→Fayetteville
Fayetteville is the University of Arkansas, Razorback football (call those hogs), and the Ozark mountains rising right outside town. The Walmart and Tyson HQ are in nearby Bentonville, which has reshaped the region's economy. The downtown square farmers market is one of the country's best. The food scene has grown up fast. Surprising for the region.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,606/mo
$1,489/mo less than San Luis Obispo (93%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$367k
$567k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,361/mo
Fayetteville has $1,898/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
170 days
133 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
14 days
days below 20°F per year
Fayetteville drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
64 / 100
4.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
14 routes
11 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
590k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.3x more events per month than Fayetteville.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Fayetteville
categories won
Fayetteville wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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