$100k salary, packing up from Wilmington
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
the monthly cost of moving past Wilmington
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
100% more expensive than Wilmington(vs $1,675/mo)
9.3%
$400/mo more in state tax than Wilmington
vs 4.5% in Wilmington
$4,206/mo
$2,077 less than Wilmington
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
136% more expensive than Wilmington
vs $448k in Wilmington
441k
vs 467k in Wilmington
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Wilmington barely cracks 235 pleasant ones.
100% fewer events than Wilmington. The pace eases up.
59/100
9% higher than Wilmington
vs 54/100 in Wilmington
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
30% higher than Wilmington
vs 67/100 in Wilmington
2
60% fewer than Wilmington
vs 5 nonstops in Wilmington
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
