on $100k a year, leaving Harrisburg
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 Harrisburg ran you
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Harrisburg. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
132% more expensive than Harrisburg(vs $1,446/mo)
9.3%
$519/mo more in state tax than Harrisburg
vs 3.07% in Harrisburg
$4,206/mo
$2,426 less than Harrisburg
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
243% more expensive than Harrisburg
vs $309k in Harrisburg
441k
vs 606k in Harrisburg
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Harrisburg only manages 152 of those.
100% fewer events than Harrisburg. The pace eases up.
59/100
14% lower than Harrisburg
vs 69/100 in Harrisburg
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
6% lower than Harrisburg
vs 93/100 in Harrisburg
2
83% fewer than Harrisburg
vs 12 nonstops in Harrisburg
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
