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→Greenville
Greenville built a city around a waterfall. The Reedy River drops right through downtown in Falls Park, with a suspension bridge curving over it that locals show off like a trophy. Main Street is a textbook of how to revitalize a small American city: brick, trees, patios, and a steady stream of festivals. BMW's largest factory in the world is a few miles up the road. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,551/mo
$1,544/mo less than San Luis Obispo (100%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$311k
$623k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,241/mo
Greenville has $1,778/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
202 days
101 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
5 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Greenville. Greenville drops below 20°F on 5 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
20 routes
17 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
975k metro
San Luis Obispo has 2.2x fewer events per month than Greenville.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Greenville
categories won
Greenville wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
run your numbers
How far does your San Luis Obispo salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works