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→Greensboro
Greensboro was the site of the 1960 Woolworth sit-in (the original lunch counter is preserved at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, downtown). Four major colleges feed the city, the food scene leans BBQ and good coffee, and the surrounding Piedmont rolls gently in every direction. It's the geographic center of North Carolina, which makes it a useful base for everything else in the state.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,428/mo
$1,667/mo less than San Luis Obispo (117%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$269k
$665k 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
$6,530/mo
Greensboro has $2,067/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
8 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
6 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 6 more days above 95°F each year than Greensboro. Greensboro drops below 20°F on 6 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
54 / 100
14.0 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
790k metro
San Luis Obispo has 4.9x fewer events per month than Greensboro.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Greensboro
categories won
Greensboro wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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