$100k a year, no longer in Cincinnati
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 Cincinnati ran you
Santa Maria doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what Santa Maria is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
116% more expensive than Cincinnati(vs $1,549/mo)
9.3%
$443/mo more in state tax than Cincinnati
vs 3.99% in Cincinnati
$4,206/mo
$2,246 less than Cincinnati
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
235% more expensive than Cincinnati
vs $316k in Cincinnati
441k
vs 2.3M in Cincinnati
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Cincinnati barely cracks 162 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Cincinnati stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
18% lower than Cincinnati
vs 72/100 in Cincinnati
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
9% lower than Cincinnati
vs 96/100 in Cincinnati
2
96% fewer than Cincinnati
vs 47 nonstops in Cincinnati
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
