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→Mobile
Mobile threw the first Mardi Gras in America (1703, predating New Orleans), and the city still celebrates it with the same parade-and-moon-pie energy. The historic district has wrought-iron balconies and live oaks dripping Spanish moss. Mobile Bay seafood (especially fried shrimp and crab claws) is the local star. It's Gulf Coast, French-Spanish-British-Creole layered, and chiller than its bigger neighbors.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,302/mo
$1,295/mo less than Santa Rosa (99%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$194k
$624k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,615/mo
Mobile has $1,654/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
225 days
29 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 25 more days above 95°F each year than Mobile.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
59 / 100
10.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
5 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
412k metro
Santa Rosa has 24.0x fewer events per month than Mobile.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Mobile
categories won
Mobile wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on lifestyle.
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