with $100k coming in, swapping out of Lakeland
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 Lakeland
A real premium for Santa Maria. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
83% more expensive than Lakeland(vs $1,834/mo)
9.3%
$775/mo more in state tax than Lakeland
vs 0% in Lakeland
$4,206/mo
$2,293 less than Lakeland
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
252% more expensive than Lakeland
vs $301k in Lakeland
441k
vs 818k in Lakeland
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Lakeland only manages 206 of those.
100% fewer events than Lakeland. The pace eases up.
59/100
23% higher than Lakeland
vs 48/100 in Lakeland
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
32% higher than Lakeland
vs 66/100 in Lakeland
2
97% fewer than Lakeland
vs 68 nonstops in Lakeland
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
