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→Albany
Albany is one of the oldest chartered cities in America (1686), with the New York state capitol building wearing every architectural style from Romanesque to Victorian on different sides. The Hudson River and the surrounding Adirondacks and Berkshires give it a serious nature backbone. Five colleges feed in young energy, and Lark Street is the local main drag for food and bars. Quieter than its neighbors, and full of layers.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,643/mo
$954/mo less than Santa Rosa (58%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$361k
$456k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,203/mo
Albany has $1,242/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
147 days
107 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
62 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Albany. Albany drops below 20°F on 62 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
72 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
19 routes
15 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
905k metro
Santa Rosa has 26.0x fewer events per month than Albany.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
7
Albany
categories won
Albany wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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