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→Boulder
Boulder is the Flatirons rising right behind town, the Pearl Street Mall pedestrian shopping, and a population that runs more, climbs more, and bikes more than basically any other American city. CU keeps it young, the foothills keep it active, and the food scene leans organic-virtuous. The access to the Rockies is unmatched and the sunshine is relentless, and locals invest in the city like it's a lifestyle, not just an address.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$2,216/mo
$381/mo less than Santa Rosa (17%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$783k
$34k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$5,751/mo
Boulder has $790/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
178 days
76 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
42 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 15 more days above 95°F each year than Boulder. Boulder drops below 20°F on 42 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
79 / 100
10.0 pts ahead of Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
169 routes
165 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
327k metro
Santa Rosa has 6.0x fewer events per month than Boulder.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
7
Boulder
categories won
Boulder wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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