$100k salary, packing up from Asheville
changea dispatch from
santa maria
CA
34.95°N
120.44°W
Santa Maria has its own style of barbecue (tri-tip cooked over red oak with pinquito beans and salsa), which is a legitimate regional tradition that locals will fight you about. The surrounding Santa Maria Valley is becoming serious wine country (especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). It's quieter and more affordable than its central coast neighbors. The Pacific is right there.
in our guides
the verdict
more each month than Asheville ran you
A real premium for Santa Maria. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
93% more expensive than Asheville(vs $1,738/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Asheville
vs 4.5% in Asheville
$4,206/mo
$2,014 less than Asheville
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
146% more expensive than Asheville
vs $430k in Asheville
441k
vs 417k in Asheville
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Asheville only manages 201 of those.
Noticeably quieter than Asheville. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
11% lower than Asheville
vs 66/100 in Asheville
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
38% higher than Asheville
vs 63/100 in Asheville
2
75% fewer than Asheville
vs 8 nonstops in Asheville
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
