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→Tallahassee
Tallahassee feels more like south Georgia than Florida: oak canopies, rolling hills, and red clay. It's the state capital, home to Florida State (Seminole football is a religion) and FAMU, and surrounded by some of the best springs in the country (Wakulla and Wakulla Springs State Park are 20 minutes south). The food scene leans southern with serious Cuban influence. Cooler in summer than the rest of the state.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,527/mo
$1,568/mo less than San Luis Obispo (103%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$289k
$646k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,806/mo
Tallahassee has $2,343/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
186 days
117 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
35 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Tallahassee has 21 more days above 95°F each year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
58 / 100
10.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
7 routes
4 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
393k metro
San Luis Obispo has 5.0x more events per month than Tallahassee.
the verdict
3
San Luis Obispo
categories won
5
Tallahassee
categories won
Tallahassee wins on money. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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