same $100k income, fresh start from Santa Maria

change
Portland, OR cityscape

from santa maria

Portland

or · metro 2.5M

photo: Rufina Rusakova / pexels

a dispatch from

portland

OR

45.52°N

122.68°W

Portland is food carts, bridges, donuts shaped like Voodoo dolls, and a low-key obsession with doing things the hard, hand-made way. The 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker is older than most of the influencers who quote it. Mt. Hood pops into view between buildings on clear mornings, and the bike infrastructure puts most American cities to shame. Coffee here is treated like wine.

metro2.5M

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$1,617

cheaper each month than Santa Maria

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

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,781/mo

47% cheaper than Santa Maria(vs $3,352/mo)

02state income tax

8.75%

$46/mo less in state tax than Santa Maria

vs 9.3% in Santa Maria

03after rent

$5,823/mo

$1,617 more than Santa Maria

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

04a house here

$562k

47% cheaper than Santa Maria

vs $1059k in Santa Maria

05metro size

2.5M

vs 441k in Santa Maria

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

178

pleasant days a year, in portland.

Santa Maria gets 337 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

·outdoorscore

87/100

47% higher than Santa Maria

vs 59/100 in Santa Maria

Closest outdoor draw: Mt. Hood National Forest, 40.4 mi.

·walk score®

100/100

15% higher than Santa Maria

vs 87/100 in Santa Maria

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

57

2750% more than Santa Maria

vs 2 nonstops in Santa Maria

04 · see also

same energy as portland, different zip code:

see also

albuquerque

$530/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

cincinnati

$629/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

salt lake city

$515/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare portland with:

AlbuquerqueCincinnatiSalt Lake City