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→Kennewick
Kennewick is part of the Tri-Cities (with Pasco and Richland), sitting at the confluence of the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers in eastern Washington. The Columbia Valley wine region (Walla Walla is 45 minutes east) is one of the most acclaimed in the country. It's sunny, dry, and much cheaper than the Seattle side. The Hanford Reach is a hauntingly beautiful stretch of the Columbia. Underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,686/mo
$1,409/mo less than San Luis Obispo (84%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$441k
$493k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,647/mo
Kennewick has $2,184/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
199 days
104 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
26 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
8 days
days below 20°F per year
Kennewick has 12 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo. Kennewick drops below 20°F on 8 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
74 / 100
6.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
8 routes
5 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
314k metro
San Luis Obispo has 10.0x more events per month than Kennewick.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Kennewick
categories won
Kennewick wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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