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→Reno
Reno calls itself the Biggest Little City in the World and means it: casinos and neon, sure, but also a quietly cool downtown, a strong outdoor culture (Tahoe is 45 minutes south), and the Truckee River running right through the middle of everything. The University of Nevada keeps things young. Burning Man buses depart from here every August. Sunnier and drier than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,908/mo
$1,187/mo less than San Luis Obispo (62%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$574k
$360k 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
$6,425/mo
Reno has $1,962/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
201 days
102 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
28 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Reno. Reno drops below 20°F on 28 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
71 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
13 routes
10 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
565k metro
San Luis Obispo has 10.3x fewer events per month than Reno.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
7
Reno
categories won
Reno wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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