same $100k income, fresh start from Detroit
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 Detroit
Santa Maria is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
128% more expensive than Detroit(vs $1,472/mo)
9.3%
$421/mo more in state tax than Detroit
vs 4.25% in Detroit
$4,206/mo
$2,301 less than Detroit
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
304% more expensive than Detroit
vs $262k in Detroit
441k
vs 4.3M in Detroit
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Detroit only logs 160 pleasant days.
100% fewer events than Detroit. The pace eases up.
59/100
26% higher than Detroit
vs 47/100 in Detroit
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
12% lower than Detroit
vs 99/100 in Detroit
2
99% fewer than Detroit
vs 135 nonstops in Detroit
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
