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→Minneapolis
Minneapolis is 22 lakes inside city limits, an extensive skyway system that lets you cross downtown in February without a coat, and a music legacy that runs from Prince to The Replacements. Summer is a glorious lake-jumping, ice-cream-licking festival. Winter is sauna-and-skate season, with rinks on every lake and cross-country trails stitched through the city. Walleye is on every menu.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,679/mo
$1,416/mo less than San Luis Obispo (84%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$398k
$536k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,000/mo
Minneapolis has $1,537/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
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
84 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 13 more days above 95°F each year than Minneapolis. Minneapolis drops below 20°F on 84 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
76 / 100
8.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
130 routes
127 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
3.7M metro
San Luis Obispo has 15.7x fewer events per month than Minneapolis.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
7
Minneapolis
categories won
Minneapolis wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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