on $100k a year, leaving St. Louis
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 St. Louis
A real premium for Santa Maria. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
138% more expensive than St. Louis(vs $1,411/mo)
9.3%
$383/mo more in state tax than St. Louis
vs 4.7% in St. Louis
$4,206/mo
$2,325 less than St. Louis
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
283% more expensive than St. Louis
vs $277k in St. Louis
441k
vs 2.8M in St. Louis
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
St. Louis keeps to 174 pleasant days a year.
100% fewer events than St. Louis. The pace eases up.
59/100
13% lower than St. Louis
vs 68/100 in St. Louis
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
0% lower than St. Louis
vs 87/100 in St. Louis
2
97% fewer than St. Louis
vs 60 nonstops in St. Louis
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
