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→New Orleans
New Orleans doesn't run on time, it runs on rhythm. The brass bands roll second-line parades through the streets for weddings, funerals, and Tuesdays, the gumbo is a personality test, and the French Quarter's wrought-iron balconies look exactly like the postcards. Mardi Gras is real life here, not a stunt. The air carries beignet sugar, river mist, and someone's trumpet warming up two blocks over.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,612/mo
$985/mo less than Santa Rosa (61%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$259k
$558k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,471/mo
New Orleans has $1,510/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
235 days
19 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 New Orleans.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
55 / 100
14.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
39 routes
35 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
962k metro
Santa Rosa has 96.0x fewer events per month than New Orleans.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
New Orleans
categories won
New Orleans leads on money and wins overall.
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