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→Salisbury
Salisbury is the unofficial capital of Maryland's Eastern Shore, home to Perdue Farms' headquarters (yes, the chicken company), and a quick drive to Ocean City beaches. The Wicomico River runs past, the Salisbury Zoo (free) is a sleeper good time, and the surrounding Chesapeake Bay landscape is gorgeous. Slower-paced, water-oriented, and underrated.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,899/mo
$698/mo less than Santa Rosa (37%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$420k
$398k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
8.2%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$5,751/mo
Salisbury has $790/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
189 days
65 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
10 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 25 more days above 95°F each year than Salisbury. Salisbury drops below 20°F on 10 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
53 / 100
16.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
130k metro
Santa Rosa has 12.0x fewer events per month than Salisbury.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Salisbury
categories won
Salisbury wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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