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→Salisbury
Salisbury is the unofficial capital of Maryland's Eastern Shore, home to Perdue Farms' headquarters (yes, the chicken company), and a quick drive to Ocean City beaches. The Wicomico River runs past, the Salisbury Zoo (free) is a sleeper good time, and the surrounding Chesapeake Bay landscape is gorgeous. Slower-paced, water-oriented, and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,899/mo
$1,196/mo less than San Luis Obispo (63%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$420k
$514k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.2%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$5,751/mo
Salisbury has $1,288/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
189 days
114 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
10 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Salisbury. Salisbury drops below 20°F on 10 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
53 / 100
15.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
130k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.2x fewer events per month than Salisbury.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Salisbury
categories won
Salisbury wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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