with $100k coming in, swapping out of Raleigh
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 Raleigh
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
102% more expensive than Raleigh(vs $1,663/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Raleigh
vs 4.5% in Raleigh
$4,206/mo
$2,089 less than Raleigh
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
140% more expensive than Raleigh
vs $440k in Raleigh
441k
vs 1.5M in Raleigh
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Raleigh barely cracks 201 pleasant ones.
Raleigh hosts Infinity× more events.
59/100
2% higher than Raleigh
vs 58/100 in Raleigh
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
10% lower than Raleigh
vs 97/100 in Raleigh
2
95% fewer than Raleigh
vs 39 nonstops in Raleigh
cities that play in santa maria's register:
