01 · the cities
Santa Maria
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.
full dispatch→Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is the University of Michigan, with the Big House (Michigan Stadium) holding over 107,000 people on football Saturdays, making it briefly the third-largest city in Michigan. Downtown is tree-lined brick streets, great independent bookstores, and a food scene with strong Middle Eastern and Korean energy. Zingerman's Deli is a national pilgrimage. The Huron River runs through. College town energy at its best.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$2,082/mo
$1,270/mo less than Santa Maria (61%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$429k
$630k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$5,897/mo
Ann Arbor has $1,691/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
337 days
154 days
183 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
51 days
days below 20°F per year
Ann Arbor drops below 20°F on 51 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
56 / 100
3.0 pts behind Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
135 routes
133 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
366k metro
the verdict
3
Santa Maria
categories won
5
Ann Arbor
categories won
Ann Arbor wins on money. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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