same $100k income, fresh start from Memphis
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 Memphis
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
133% more expensive than Memphis(vs $1,436/mo)
9.3%
$775/mo more in state tax than Memphis
vs 0% in Memphis
$4,206/mo
$2,691 less than Memphis
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
335% more expensive than Memphis
vs $244k in Memphis
441k
vs 1.3M in Memphis
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Memphis barely cracks 185 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Memphis stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
5% higher than Memphis
vs 56/100 in Memphis
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
2% lower than Memphis
vs 89/100 in Memphis
2
94% fewer than Memphis
vs 32 nonstops in Memphis
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
