same $100k income, fresh start from Baltimore
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 expensive each month than Baltimore
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Baltimore. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
79% more expensive than Baltimore(vs $1,868/mo)
9.3%
$92/mo more in state tax than Baltimore
vs 8.2% in Baltimore
$4,206/mo
$1,576 less than Baltimore
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
157% more expensive than Baltimore
vs $412k in Baltimore
441k
vs 2.8M in Baltimore
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Baltimore keeps to 168 pleasant days a year.
But the calendar thins out: Baltimore stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
11% lower than Baltimore
vs 66/100 in Baltimore
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
11% lower than Baltimore
vs 98/100 in Baltimore
2
97% fewer than Baltimore
vs 72 nonstops in Baltimore
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
