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→Kennewick
Kennewick is part of the Tri-Cities (with Pasco and Richland), sitting at the confluence of the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers in eastern Washington. The Columbia Valley wine region (Walla Walla is 45 minutes east) is one of the most acclaimed in the country. It's sunny, dry, and much cheaper than the Seattle side. The Hanford Reach is a hauntingly beautiful stretch of the Columbia. Underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,686/mo
$911/mo less than Santa Rosa (54%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$441k
$376k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,647/mo
Kennewick has $1,686/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
199 days
55 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
26 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
8 days
days below 20°F per year
Kennewick drops below 20°F on 8 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
74 / 100
5.0 pts ahead of Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
8 routes
4 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
314k metro
Santa Rosa and Kennewick have similar event volume.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Kennewick
categories won
Kennewick wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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