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→Worcester
Worcester (pronounced 'WOO-stuh', please) is triple-deckers, classic American diners (the city helped invent the diner), and a college-heavy student population (Clark, Holy Cross, WPI, and a dozen more). The smiley face was invented here in 1963. It's central Massachusetts' working-class anchor and quietly gaining a real food scene. Cheaper than Boston, an hour away when you need it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$2,140/mo
$457/mo less than Santa Rosa (21%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$486k
$332k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$5,777/mo
Worcester has $816/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
148 days
106 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
55 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 27 more days above 95°F each year than Worcester. Worcester drops below 20°F on 55 more days per year than Santa Rosa.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
59 / 100
10.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
867k metro
Santa Rosa has 30.0x fewer events per month than Worcester.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Worcester
categories won
Worcester wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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