$100k salary, packing up from Lexington
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 Lexington
A real premium for Santa Maria. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
125% more expensive than Lexington(vs $1,488/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Lexington
vs 4.5% in Lexington
$4,206/mo
$2,264 less than Lexington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
226% more expensive than Lexington
vs $324k in Lexington
441k
vs 520k in Lexington
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Lexington keeps to 171 pleasant days a year.
Lighter on events: Lexington packs Infinity× more into a month.
59/100
2% lower than Lexington
vs 60/100 in Lexington
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
1% lower than Lexington
vs 88/100 in Lexington
2
85% fewer than Lexington
vs 13 nonstops in Lexington
in the same ballpark as santa maria:
