same $100k income, fresh start from Spartanburg
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 expensive each month than Spartanburg
Santa Maria is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
134% more expensive than Spartanburg(vs $1,434/mo)
9.3%
$233/mo more in state tax than Spartanburg
vs 6.5% in Spartanburg
$4,206/mo
$2,152 less than Spartanburg
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
282% more expensive than Spartanburg
vs $277k in Spartanburg
441k
vs 383k in Spartanburg
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Spartanburg only logs 191 pleasant days.
Spartanburg hosts Infinity× more events.
59/100
13% lower than Spartanburg
vs 68/100 in Spartanburg
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
13% higher than Spartanburg
vs 77/100 in Spartanburg
2
90% fewer than Spartanburg
vs 20 nonstops in Spartanburg
in the same ballpark as santa maria:
