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→Montgomery
Montgomery is civil rights ground zero: Rosa Parks' bus, the start of the Selma march, Dr. King's Dexter Avenue church. The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (the lynching memorial) are essential and devastating in equal measure. The city is also the Alabama state capital, with the river curving past, and the food and music scenes have grown up in the last decade. Heavy and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,376/mo
$1,221/mo less than Santa Rosa (89%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$212k
$606k 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
$6,541/mo
Montgomery has $1,580/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
181 days
73 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
29 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
44 / 100
25.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
385k metro
Santa Rosa has 32.0x fewer events per month than Montgomery.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
4
Montgomery
categories won
Montgomery wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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