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→Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie is the New York Mets' spring training home, with golf courses, gated communities, and the slow Atlantic Coast pace that retirees love. It's one of the fastest-growing cities in the country in recent years. The Treasure Coast beaches are quieter and prettier than the bigger Florida metros. Suburban, sunny, and easy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$2,331/mo
$764/mo less than San Luis Obispo (33%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$397k
$537k 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
$6,002/mo
Port St. Lucie has $1,539/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
246 days
57 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
2 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 12 more days above 95°F each year than Port St. Lucie.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
50 / 100
18.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
23 routes
20 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
537k metro
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Port St. Lucie
categories won
Port St. Lucie leads on money and wins overall.
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