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→Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a three-mile boardwalk, a giant Neptune statue keeping watch, and Atlantic surf that's warm in August and gentle in September. The military presence (Navy and Air Force) gives the city a structured, welcoming feel. False Cape and Back Bay nature areas are wild marshland just south of the high-rises. October on the boardwalk might be the prettiest month on the East Coast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,819/mo
$778/mo less than Santa Rosa (43%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$375k
$442k 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
$6,035/mo
Virginia Beach has $1,074/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
211 days
43 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 27 more days above 95°F each year than Virginia Beach.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
57 / 100
12.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
17 routes
13 more direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
1.8M metro
Santa Rosa has 30.0x fewer events per month than Virginia Beach.
the verdict
2
Santa Rosa
categories won
6
Virginia Beach
categories won
Virginia Beach leads on money and wins overall.
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