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→Madison
Madison sits on an isthmus between two lakes, with the state capitol gleaming on one end and the University of Wisconsin sprawling on the other. The Saturday farmers market around the Capitol Square is one of the best in the country. Cheese curds, brats, and beer are mandatory food groups. The Terrace at Memorial Union, looking out at Lake Mendota, is the unofficial heart of the city in summer.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,673/mo
$924/mo less than Santa Rosa (55%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$465k
$353k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,138/mo
Madison has $1,177/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
147 days
107 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
71 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Madison. Madison drops below 20°F on 71 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
67 / 100
2.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
11 routes
7 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
694k metro
Santa Rosa has 40.0x fewer events per month than Madison.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Madison
categories won
Madison wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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