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→Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is LSU football, the Mississippi River bending past downtown, and the kind of food (gumbo, jambalaya, boudin, po'boys) that makes you want to lie down after lunch. The Louisiana state capitol is the tallest in the country, a 34-story Art Deco tower that looks more like a Manhattan office building. Cajun warmth runs through everything, with a slightly more buttoned-up daily pace than New Orleans.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,361/mo
$1,236/mo less than Santa Rosa (91%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$250k
$567k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,722/mo
Baton Rouge has $1,761/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
187 days
67 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
25 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 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
50 / 100
19.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
874k metro
Santa Rosa has 15.0x fewer events per month than Baton Rouge.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
4
Baton Rouge
categories won
Baton Rouge wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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