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→Chattanooga
Chattanooga became the first city in the country to roll out gigabit fiber internet to every home (2010, via the municipal utility), which jump-started a tech and remote-work scene. Lookout Mountain rises right above town, with Ruby Falls' underground waterfall and Rock City's epic views. The Tennessee Riverwalk is gorgeous. The Choo Choo (old terminal turned hotel) is a fun stay.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,524/mo
$1,073/mo less than Santa Rosa (70%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$322k
$495k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,809/mo
Chattanooga has $1,848/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
167 days
87 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
5 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Chattanooga. Chattanooga drops below 20°F on 5 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
8 routes
4 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
580k metro
Santa Rosa has 23.0x fewer events per month than Chattanooga.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Chattanooga
categories won
Chattanooga wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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