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→Spartanburg
Spartanburg is the Upstate of South Carolina, with rolling foothills, peach orchards (yes, South Carolina actually grows more peaches than Georgia in some years), and the largest BMW manufacturing plant in the world just outside town. The downtown's been revitalizing with breweries and restaurants. Wofford and Converse keep college energy in town. The Blue Ridge is right there.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,661/mo less than San Luis Obispo (116%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$277k
$657k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,358/mo
Spartanburg has $1,895/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
191 days
112 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
68 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
20 routes
17 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
383k metro
San Luis Obispo has 1.5x fewer events per month than Spartanburg.
the verdict
1
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Spartanburg
categories won
Spartanburg wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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