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→Pensacola
Pensacola is the Blue Angels' home base (you can watch their practices for free at the National Naval Aviation Museum), with sugar-white sand beaches on the Gulf and a charming historic district that goes back to the Spanish. It's the western-most Florida city, closer to New Orleans than to Miami in feel. Affordable, sunny, and serious about seafood.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,752/mo
$1,343/mo less than San Luis Obispo (77%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$303k
$632k 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
$6,581/mo
Pensacola has $2,118/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
226 days
77 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
6 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 8 more days above 95°F each year than Pensacola.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
11 routes
8 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
530k metro
San Luis Obispo has 2.6x fewer events per month than Pensacola.
the verdict
1
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Pensacola
categories won
Pensacola wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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