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→Augusta
Augusta is the home of the Masters golf tournament and James Brown's adopted hometown (statue downtown), with the Savannah River running past and old Southern charm in the historic district. The Augusta National is private and mostly hidden, but Masters week shapes the whole city's rhythm. Outside that, it's a slower-paced river town with surprising depth.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,443/mo
$1,154/mo less than Santa Rosa (80%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$247k
$570k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,433/mo
Augusta has $1,472/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
191 days
63 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
29 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
46 / 100
23.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
628k metro
Santa Rosa has 3.0x fewer events per month than Augusta.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
4
Augusta
categories won
Augusta wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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