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→Provo
Provo is BYU and the Mormon culture's center of gravity, with a downtown that's quieter than most college towns (no Saturday football beer crowds here). The Wasatch Mountains rise right behind it, with Sundance ski resort 30 minutes up the canyon. Provo Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls are summer go-tos. The tech scene (Qualtrics, Domo) has reshaped the local economy. Beautiful in a calm, ordered way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,743/mo
$854/mo less than Santa Rosa (49%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$559k
$258k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,203/mo
Provo has $1,242/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
171 days
83 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
12 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
44 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 16 more days above 95°F each year than Provo. Provo drops below 20°F on 44 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
81 / 100
12.0 pts ahead of Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
91 routes
87 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
733k metro
Santa Rosa and Provo have similar event volume.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
7
Provo
categories won
Provo wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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