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→Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the gateway to Sonoma wine country, less polished than Napa but more lived-in. Charles Schulz lived here and the Snoopy museum is a delight. The Russian River redwoods are 30 minutes west. The city itself has rebuilt impressively after the 2017 fires, with a downtown that mixes wineries, breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants. Cooler than San Francisco in summer.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$2,597/mo
$498/mo less than San Luis Obispo (19%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$817k
$117k 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
$4,961/mo
Santa Rosa has $498/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
254 days
49 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
28 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 14 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
482k metro
San Luis Obispo has 10.0x more events per month than Santa Rosa.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
Santa Rosa wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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