same $100k income, fresh start from Fayetteville
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
pricier each month than Fayetteville
Santa Maria is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
109% more expensive than Fayetteville(vs $1,606/mo)
9.3%
$408/mo more in state tax than Fayetteville
vs 4.4% in Fayetteville
$4,206/mo
$2,155 less than Fayetteville
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
188% more expensive than Fayetteville
vs $367k in Fayetteville
441k
vs 590k in Fayetteville
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Fayetteville barely cracks 170 pleasant ones.
Noticeably quieter than Fayetteville. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
8% lower than Fayetteville
vs 64/100 in Fayetteville
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
6% higher than Fayetteville
vs 82/100 in Fayetteville
2
86% fewer than Fayetteville
vs 14 nonstops in Fayetteville
cities that play in santa maria's register:
