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→Lincoln
Lincoln is the Nebraska state capital, home to the University of Nebraska, and on home-game Saturdays Memorial Stadium fills with over 85,000 fans (briefly making it the third-largest city in Nebraska). The state capitol is a striking 400-foot Art Deco tower visible from miles away. The Haymarket district downtown has the food and bar scene. Friendly, affordable, and prettier than its prairie reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,311/mo
$1,784/mo less than San Luis Obispo (136%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$302k
$632k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,536/mo
Lincoln has $2,073/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
152 days
151 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
48 days
days below 20°F per year
Lincoln drops below 20°F on 48 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
53 / 100
15.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
344k metro
San Luis Obispo has 2.5x fewer events per month than Lincoln.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
4
Lincoln
categories won
Lincoln wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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