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→Madison
Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes, with the state capitol gleaming on one end and the University of Wisconsin sprawling on the other. The Saturday farmers market around the Capitol Square is one of the best in the country. Cheese curds, brats, and beer are mandatory food groups. The Terrace at Memorial Union, looking out at Lake Mendota, is the unofficial heart of the city in summer.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,673/mo
$1,422/mo less than San Luis Obispo (85%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$465k
$470k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,138/mo
Madison has $1,675/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
147 days
156 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
71 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 14 more days above 95°F each year than Madison. Madison drops below 20°F on 71 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
67 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
11 routes
8 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
694k metro
San Luis Obispo has 4.0x fewer events per month than Madison.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Madison
categories won
Madison 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