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→Clarksville
Clarksville is anchored by Fort Campbell (just across the Kentucky line, home of the 101st Airborne), with a growing downtown and the Cumberland River curving past. There's a quieter charm here, a strong military community, and quick access to Nashville (45 minutes south). Affordable, growing fast, and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,337/mo
$1,260/mo less than Santa Rosa (94%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$294k
$524k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,996/mo
Clarksville has $2,035/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
173 days
81 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
9 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
15 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 19 more days above 95°F each year than Clarksville. Clarksville drops below 20°F on 15 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
51 / 100
18.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
47 routes
43 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
337k metro
Santa Rosa has 2.0x fewer events per month than Clarksville.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Clarksville
categories won
Clarksville wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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