$100k a year, no longer in Las Vegas
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 Las Vegas ran you
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
94% more expensive than Las Vegas(vs $1,731/mo)
9.3%
$775/mo more in state tax than Las Vegas
vs 0% in Las Vegas
$4,206/mo
$2,396 less than Las Vegas
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
135% more expensive than Las Vegas
vs $451k in Las Vegas
441k
vs 2.3M in Las Vegas
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Las Vegas barely cracks 210 pleasant ones.
Noticeably quieter than Las Vegas. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
26% lower than Las Vegas
vs 80/100 in Las Vegas
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
6% higher than Las Vegas
vs 82/100 in Las Vegas
2
98% fewer than Las Vegas
vs 133 nonstops in Las Vegas
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
