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→Salinas
Salinas is the Salad Bowl of the World, where most of the country's leafy greens, strawberries, and broccoli come from. John Steinbeck grew up here and the National Steinbeck Center downtown is excellent. The Salinas Rodeo is a century-old summer event. The Monterey Bay is 20 minutes west, but the city itself is a working ag town with strong Mexican-American culture.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$2,813/mo
$282/mo less than San Luis Obispo (10%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$862k
$73k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$4,745/mo
Salinas has $282/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
335 days
32 more than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
0 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 14 more days above 95°F each year than Salinas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
71 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
6 routes
3 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
431k metro
the verdict
0
San Luis Obispo
categories won
7
Salinas
categories won
Salinas wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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