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→Dallas
Dallas is Stetsons next to skyscrapers, Tex-Mex with queso flowing freely, and a barbecue scene that quietly competes with Austin's. The arts district downtown is enormous and free to wander, while Bishop Arts and Deep Ellum bring the indie energy. Football is its own religion (high school, college, and Cowboys all year round). The bigness is real, and the city wears it well.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,647/mo
$1,705/mo less than Santa Maria (104%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$367k
$692k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,686/mo
Dallas has $2,480/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
171 days
166 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
40 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Dallas has 40 more days above 95°F each year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
57 / 100
2.0 pts behind Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
190 routes
188 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
8.1M metro
the verdict
3
Santa Maria
categories won
5
Dallas
categories won
Dallas wins on money. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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