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→Savannah
Savannah is 22 oak-shaded squares draped in Spanish moss, ghost tours by candlelight, and shrimp and grits so good they should be regulated. The historic district is a working film set that just happens to be a real city, kept lively by SCAD students keeping the cafes weird. To-go cups of cocktails are legal in the historic district, which tells you exactly how the city wants you to spend a Saturday. The oldest art museum in the South is here too, in case you need a culture alibi.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,770/mo
$1,325/mo less than San Luis Obispo (75%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$349k
$585k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,106/mo
Savannah has $1,643/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
209 days
94 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
19 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Savannah has 5 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
52 / 100
16.0 pts behind 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
425k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.6x fewer events per month than Savannah.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Savannah
categories won
Savannah wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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