01 · the cities
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the gateway to Sonoma wine country, less polished than Napa but more lived-in. Charles Schulz lived here and the Snoopy museum is a delight. The Russian River redwoods are 30 minutes west. The city itself has rebuilt impressively after the 2017 fires, with a downtown that mixes wineries, breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants. Cooler than San Francisco in summer.
full dispatch→Akron
Akron was the Rubber City (Goodyear, Firestone, BFGoodrich all built here), and the legacy still shapes its industrial bones. LeBron James is from Akron and never forgets it. The Goodyear blimp is based in town. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is just north, with waterfalls and rail-trails. Cheaper than Cleveland, with its own quiet charm.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,259/mo
$1,338/mo less than Santa Rosa (106%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$236k
$581k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,742/mo
Akron has $1,781/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
254 days
152 days
102 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
40 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 27 more days above 95°F each year than Akron. Akron drops below 20°F on 40 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
65 / 100
4.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
11 routes
7 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
698k metro
Santa Rosa has 33.0x fewer events per month than Akron.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Akron
categories won
Akron wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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