$100k salary, packing up from Duluth
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
the monthly cost of moving past Duluth
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
115% more expensive than Duluth(vs $1,559/mo)
9.3%
$121/mo more in state tax than Duluth
vs 7.85% in Duluth
$4,206/mo
$1,914 less than Duluth
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
319% more expensive than Duluth
vs $252k in Duluth
441k
vs 282k in Duluth
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Duluth only logs 132 pleasant days.
But the calendar thins out: Duluth stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
19% lower than Duluth
vs 73/100 in Duluth
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
181% higher than Duluth
vs 31/100 in Duluth
2
50% fewer than Duluth
vs 4 nonstops in Duluth
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
