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→Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is Moravian cookie traditions, old tobacco wealth (R.J. Reynolds), and Krispy Kreme's hometown (the original hot doughnut sign is still here). Old Salem is a living history Moravian village downtown. The food scene has picked up nicely, the arts scene leans on the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Slower-paced than its Triad neighbors. A little secret.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,508/mo
$1,089/mo less than Santa Rosa (72%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$283k
$534k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,450/mo
Winston-Salem has $1,489/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
186 days
68 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
8 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
6 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 20 more days above 95°F each year than Winston-Salem. Winston-Salem drops below 20°F on 6 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
54 / 100
15.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
0 routes
4 fewer direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
696k metro
the verdict
4
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Winston-Salem
categories won
Winston-Salem wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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