same $100k income, fresh start from Springfield
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 each month than Springfield ran you
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
75% more expensive than Springfield(vs $1,913/mo)
9.3%
$358/mo more in state tax than Springfield
vs 5% in Springfield
$4,206/mo
$1,798 less than Springfield
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
184% more expensive than Springfield
vs $373k in Springfield
441k
vs 460k in Springfield
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Springfield barely cracks 147 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Springfield stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
11% lower than Springfield
vs 66/100 in Springfield
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
0% lower than Springfield
vs 87/100 in Springfield
2
92% fewer than Springfield
vs 26 nonstops in Springfield
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
