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→Washington
Washington DC is power dressed in seersucker. The monuments glow at night, the Smithsonian museums are all free (yes, all of them), and the cherry blossoms in April make even cynical lobbyists pause for a selfie. It's one of the most international cities in America (embassies from everywhere), with food scenes to match. The vibe shifts every four years and the architecture stays magnificent through all of it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,095/mo
$2,352/mo
$743/mo less than San Luis Obispo (32%)
Median home price
Median home price
$934k
$626k
$308k less than San Luis Obispo
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,463/mo
$5,273/mo
Washington has $810/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
177 days
126 fewer than San Luis Obispo
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
4 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
11 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 10 more days above 95°F each year than Washington. Washington drops below 20°F on 11 more days per year than San Luis Obispo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
68 / 100
87 / 100
19.0 pts ahead of San Luis Obispo
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
3 routes
160 routes
157 more direct routes than San Luis Obispo
Metro size
Metro size
282k metro
6.3M metro
San Luis Obispo has 16.1x fewer events per month than Washington.
the verdict
2
San Luis Obispo
categories won
7
Washington
categories won
Washington wins on money and lifestyle. San Luis Obispo has the edge on weather.
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