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→South Bend
South Bend is Notre Dame, the Golden Dome, and the Touchdown Jesus mural visible from the football stadium. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown, and the East Bank district has the food and bar scene. The University of Notre Dame campus is genuinely beautiful (the basilica, the lakes, the grottos). Smaller than its national reputation suggests, with a steady college-town pulse.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,391/mo
$1,704/mo less than San Luis Obispo (123%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$230k
$704k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,692/mo
South Bend has $2,229/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
157 days
146 fewer 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
40 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 14 more days above 95°F each year than South Bend. South Bend drops below 20°F on 40 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
9 routes
6 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
324k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.7x fewer events per month than South Bend.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
South Bend
categories won
South Bend wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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