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→Roanoke
Roanoke is the Star City of the South, named for the enormous illuminated star on Mill Mountain that's been lighting up the valley since 1949. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs right past town. The downtown has come back beautifully with the Taubman Museum, breweries, and a thriving market. The surrounding mountains are gorgeous in every season. Smaller and more scenic than people expect.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,382/mo
$1,215/mo less than Santa Rosa (88%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$296k
$521k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,472/mo
Roanoke has $1,511/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
179 days
75 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
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 26 more days above 95°F each year than Roanoke. Roanoke drops below 20°F on 21 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
69 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
9 routes
5 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
314k metro
Santa Rosa has 12.0x fewer events per month than Roanoke.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Roanoke
categories won
Roanoke wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather.
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