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→Portland
Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,781/mo
$1,314/mo less than San Luis Obispo (74%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$562k
$372k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$5,823/mo
Portland has $1,360/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
178 days
125 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 7 more days above 95°F each year than Portland.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
87 / 100
19.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
57 routes
54 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
2.5M metro
San Luis Obispo has 12.3x fewer events per month than Portland.
the verdict
1
San Luis Obispo
categories won
7
Portland
categories won
Portland wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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