same $100k income, fresh start from Santa Maria

change
Pensacola, FL cityscape

instead of santa maria

Pensacola

fl · metro 530k

photo: Viktoria B. / pexels

a dispatch from

pensacola

FL

30.42°N

87.22°W

Pensacola is the Blue Angels' home base (you can watch their practices for free at the National Naval Aviation Museum), with sugar-white sand beaches on the Gulf and a charming historic district that goes back to the Spanish. It's the western-most Florida city, closer to New Orleans than to Miami in feel. Affordable, sunny, and serious about seafood.

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,375

cheaper each month than Santa Maria

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

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,752/mo

48% cheaper than Santa Maria(vs $3,352/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$775/mo less in state tax than Santa Maria

vs 9.3% in Santa Maria

03after rent

$6,581/mo

$2,375 more than Santa Maria

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

04a house here

$303k

71% cheaper than Santa Maria

vs $1059k in Santa Maria

05metro size

530k

vs 441k in Santa Maria

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

226

pleasant days a year, in pensacola.

Santa Maria actually gets more: 337 pleasant days a year.

·outdoorscore

69/100

17% higher than Santa Maria

vs 59/100 in Santa Maria

Closest outdoor draw: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 6.9 mi.

·walk score®

64/100

26% lower than Santa Maria

vs 87/100 in Santa Maria

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

11

450% more than Santa Maria

vs 2 nonstops in Santa Maria

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as pensacola:

see also

eugene

better park access

turn the page

see also

daytona beach

similar overall lifestyle

turn the page

see also

greenville

more things to do

turn the page

compare pensacola with:

EugeneDaytona BeachGreenville