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→Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,895/mo
$702/mo less than Santa Rosa (37%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$351k
$466k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,438/mo
Melbourne has $1,477/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
254 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
0 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 28 more days above 95°F each year than Melbourne.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
55 / 100
14.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
644k metro
the verdict
1
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Melbourne
categories won
Melbourne wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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