$100k a year, no longer in Denver
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 Denver ran you
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Denver. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
80% more expensive than Denver(vs $1,863/mo)
9.3%
$408/mo more in state tax than Denver
vs 4.4% in Denver
$4,206/mo
$1,898 less than Denver
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
77% more expensive than Denver
vs $599k in Denver
441k
vs 3.0M in Denver
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Denver keeps to 174 pleasant days a year.
But the calendar thins out: Denver stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
31% lower than Denver
vs 85/100 in Denver
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
10% lower than Denver
vs 97/100 in Denver
2
99% fewer than Denver
vs 169 nonstops in Denver
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
