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→Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a three-mile boardwalk, a giant Neptune statue keeping watch, and Atlantic surf that's warm in August and gentle in September. The military presence (Navy and Air Force) gives the city a structured, welcoming feel. False Cape and Back Bay nature areas are wild marshland just south of the high-rises. October on the boardwalk might be the prettiest month on the East Coast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$1,819/mo
$1,276/mo less than San Luis Obispo (70%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$375k
$559k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$6,035/mo
Virginia Beach has $1,572/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
211 days
92 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 13 more days above 95°F each year than Virginia Beach.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
57 / 100
11.0 pts behind San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
17 routes
14 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
1.8M metro
San Luis Obispo has 3.0x fewer events per month than Virginia Beach.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
6
Virginia Beach
categories won
Virginia Beach leads on money and wins overall.
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