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→Pensacola
Pensacola is the Blue Angels' home base (you can watch their practices for free at the National Naval Aviation Museum), with sugar-white sand beaches on the Gulf and a charming historic district that goes back to the Spanish. It's the western-most Florida city, closer to New Orleans than to Miami in feel. Affordable, sunny, and serious about seafood.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,752/mo
$845/mo less than Santa Rosa (48%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$303k
$515k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,581/mo
Pensacola has $1,620/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
226 days
28 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
6 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 22 more days above 95°F each year than Pensacola.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
11 routes
7 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
530k metro
Santa Rosa has 26.0x fewer events per month than Pensacola.
the verdict
1
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Pensacola
categories won
Pensacola wins this comparison, leading on money and lifestyle.
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