on $100k a year, leaving Roanoke
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 Roanoke
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Roanoke. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
143% more expensive than Roanoke(vs $1,382/mo)
9.3%
$296/mo more in state tax than Roanoke
vs 5.75% in Roanoke
$4,206/mo
$2,266 less than Roanoke
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
258% more expensive than Roanoke
vs $296k in Roanoke
441k
vs 314k in Roanoke
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Roanoke only manages 179 of those.
Roanoke hosts Infinity× more events.
59/100
14% lower than Roanoke
vs 69/100 in Roanoke
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
7% lower than Roanoke
vs 94/100 in Roanoke
2
78% fewer than Roanoke
vs 9 nonstops in Roanoke
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
