$100k a year, no longer in Santa Maria

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Denver, CO cityscape

next stop after santa maria

Denver

co · metro 3.0M

photo: Noel Aph / pexels

a dispatch from

denver

CO

39.74°N

104.98°W

Denver is a mile above sea level, an hour from a dozen ski resorts, and surrounded by mountains that make every west-facing window feel like a vacation. The air is dry, the sun shows up roughly 300 days a year, and craft beer is taken seriously enough to have its own annual pilgrimage (the Great American Beer Festival). Green chile is a hill people will die on. The patio season is essentially eternal.

metro3.0M

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$1,898

less monthly outlay than Santa Maria

Denver is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
landable, recorded on the denver entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,863/mo

44% cheaper than Santa Maria(vs $3,352/mo)

02state income tax

4.4%

$408/mo less in state tax than Santa Maria

vs 9.3% in Santa Maria

03after rent

$6,104/mo

$1,898 more than Santa Maria

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$599k

43% cheaper than Santa Maria

vs $1059k in Santa Maria

05metro size

3.0M

vs 441k in Santa Maria

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

174

pleasant days a year, in denver.

Santa Maria actually gets more: 337 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 66 days below 20°, vs 0 in Santa Maria.

·outdoorscore

85/100

44% higher than Santa Maria

vs 59/100 in Santa Maria

Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 47.3 mi.

·walk score®

97/100

11% higher than Santa Maria

vs 87/100 in Santa Maria

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

169

8350% more than Santa Maria

vs 2 nonstops in Santa Maria

04 · see also

if denver appeals, also worth a look:

see also

boulder

better weather

turn the page

see also

las vegas

$498/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

washington

better weather

turn the page

compare denver with:

BoulderLas VegasWashington