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's life revolves around Fort Liberty (recently renamed from Fort Bragg), one of the largest military installations in the world. The Cape Fear River runs past, the airborne and special operations museum is excellent, and the food scene reflects the international military families that cycle through. Southern, military, and friendly. Quieter than the big NC cities.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,477/mo
$1,618/mo less than San Luis Obispo (110%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$258k
$677k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,481/mo
Fayetteville has $2,018/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
193 days
110 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
14 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
3 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
51 / 100
17.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
392k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.5x fewer events per month than Fayetteville.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
4
Fayetteville
categories won
Fayetteville wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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