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→Fort Collins
Fort Collins is the home of New Belgium Brewing (Fat Tire's origin) and a thriving craft beer scene with more breweries than Boulder. Old Town's brick streets and historic storefronts are charming enough that they're said to have influenced Disney's Main Street USA designers. CSU keeps the energy young. The foothills rise right outside town, and Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away. Quieter than Boulder, less expensive.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,971/mo
$1,124/mo less than San Luis Obispo (57%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$572k
$362k 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
$5,996/mo
Fort Collins has $1,533/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
177 days
126 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
44 days
days below 20°F per year
Fort Collins drops below 20°F on 44 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
169 routes
166 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
371k metro
San Luis Obispo has 10.0x more events per month than Fort Collins.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Fort Collins
categories won
Fort Collins wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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