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→Cincinnati
Cincinnati is chili served on spaghetti (Skyline and Gold Star will fight you about which is better), German heritage in Over-the-Rhine's beer halls, and a riverfront that looks straight across at Kentucky. OTR's brick warehouses have become one of the best urban revitalizations in the country. The Reds play in baseball's oldest professional city. Pronounce it correctly and the locals warm up fast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,549/mo
$1,803/mo less than Santa Maria (116%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$316k
$743k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,452/mo
Cincinnati has $2,246/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
162 days
175 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
26 days
days below 20°F per year
Cincinnati drops below 20°F on 26 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
72 / 100
13.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
47 routes
45 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
2.3M metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
6
Cincinnati
categories won
Cincinnati wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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