with $100k coming in, swapping out of 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
the monthly premium over Fayetteville
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
127% more expensive than Fayetteville(vs $1,477/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Fayetteville
vs 4.5% in Fayetteville
$4,206/mo
$2,275 less than Fayetteville
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
311% more expensive than Fayetteville
vs $258k in Fayetteville
441k
vs 392k in Fayetteville
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Fayetteville barely cracks 193 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Fayetteville stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
16% higher than Fayetteville
vs 51/100 in Fayetteville
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
14% higher than Fayetteville
vs 76/100 in Fayetteville
2
50% fewer than Fayetteville
vs 4 nonstops in Fayetteville
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
