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→Columbia
Columbia is the South Carolina capital, USC Gamecock country, and home to one of the largest urban rivers (the Congaree) flowing right past downtown. The Saluda River outside town is a tubing destination locals swear by, and Congaree National Park's old-growth cypress is a 30-minute drive. The state museum is a sleeper good time. Slower-paced than Charleston, less touristy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,551/mo
$1,046/mo less than Santa Rosa (67%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$255k
$562k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,241/mo
Columbia has $1,280/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
189 days
65 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
27 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
55 / 100
14.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
10 routes
6 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
857k metro
Santa Rosa has 19.0x fewer events per month than Columbia.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Columbia
categories won
Columbia wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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