same $100k income, fresh start from Columbus
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 Columbus 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
122% more expensive than Columbus(vs $1,511/mo)
9.3%
$443/mo more in state tax than Columbus
vs 3.99% in Columbus
$4,206/mo
$2,284 less than Columbus
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
203% more expensive than Columbus
vs $350k in Columbus
441k
vs 2.2M in Columbus
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Columbus barely cracks 171 pleasant ones.
Noticeably quieter than Columbus. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
4% higher than Columbus
vs 57/100 in Columbus
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
2% higher than Columbus
vs 85/100 in Columbus
2
94% fewer than Columbus
vs 32 nonstops in Columbus
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
