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→Montgomery
Montgomery is civil rights ground zero: Rosa Parks' bus, the start of the Selma march, Dr. King's Dexter Avenue church. The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (the lynching memorial) are essential and devastating in equal measure. The city is also the Alabama state capital, with the river curving past, and the food and music scenes have grown up in the last decade. Heavy and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,376/mo
$1,719/mo less than San Luis Obispo (125%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$212k
$723k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,541/mo
Montgomery has $2,078/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
181 days
122 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
29 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Montgomery has 15 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
44 / 100
24.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
385k metro
San Luis Obispo has 3.2x fewer events per month than Montgomery.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
4
Montgomery
categories won
Montgomery wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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