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→Lincoln
Lincoln is the Nebraska state capital, home to the University of Nebraska, and on home-game Saturdays Memorial Stadium fills with over 85,000 fans (briefly making it the third-largest city in Nebraska). The state capitol is a striking 400-foot Art Deco tower visible from miles away. The Haymarket district downtown has the food and bar scene. Friendly, affordable, and prettier than its prairie reputation suggests.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,311/mo
$1,286/mo less than Santa Rosa (98%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$302k
$515k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,536/mo
Lincoln has $1,575/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
152 days
102 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
13 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
48 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 15 more days above 95°F each year than Lincoln. Lincoln drops below 20°F on 48 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
53 / 100
16.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
344k metro
Santa Rosa has 25.0x fewer events per month than Lincoln.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Lincoln
categories won
Lincoln wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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