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→Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie is the New York Mets' spring training home, with golf courses, gated communities, and the slow Atlantic Coast pace that retirees love. It's one of the fastest-growing cities in the country in recent years. The Treasure Coast beaches are quieter and prettier than the bigger Florida metros. Suburban, sunny, and easy.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$2,331/mo
$266/mo less than Santa Rosa (11%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$397k
$421k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,002/mo
Port St. Lucie has $1,041/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
246 days
8 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
2 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 26 more days above 95°F each year than Port St. Lucie.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
50 / 100
19.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
23 routes
19 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
537k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Port St. Lucie
categories won
Port St. Lucie leads on money and wins overall.
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