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→Lansing
Lansing is the Michigan state capital, Michigan State (East Lansing is essentially a continuation), and old auto industry roots that have softened into a quieter mid-sized city. The Grand River curves through downtown. The Capitol building is one of the prettier state capitols you'll see. Cheap, friendly, and a quick drive to Lake Michigan beaches.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,259/mo
$1,338/mo less than Santa Rosa (106%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$244k
$574k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,720/mo
Lansing has $1,759/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
153 days
101 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
52 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Lansing. Lansing drops below 20°F on 52 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
57 / 100
12.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
6 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
473k metro
Santa Rosa has 18.0x fewer events per month than Lansing.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Lansing
categories won
Lansing wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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