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→Tampa
Tampa is the Cuban sandwich's other home (yes, there's a rivalry with Miami), with Ybor City's brick streets, rooster gangs, and cigar shops giving the city a flavor all its own. Bayshore Boulevard claims one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the country, perfect for sunset jogs. The beaches are a short drive west, the Lightning play hockey in the swamp, and the winters feel like other cities' best Aprils.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,996/mo
$1,099/mo less than San Luis Obispo (55%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$374k
$561k 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
$6,337/mo
Tampa has $1,874/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
243 days
60 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Tampa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
62 / 100
6.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
68 routes
65 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
3.3M metro
San Luis Obispo has 4.8x fewer events per month than Tampa.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Tampa
categories won
Tampa leads on money and wins overall.
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