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→Indianapolis
Indianapolis circles its downtown with a literal loop (the Mile Square) and hosts the Indy 500 every Memorial Day weekend like clockwork. Basketball is woven into the state DNA (Hoosiers, the movie, is essentially a documentary). The Cultural Trail connects six districts on bike-friendly paths through the heart of downtown. The food scene has quietly leveled up.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,511/mo
$1,841/mo less than Santa Maria (122%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$296k
$763k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,572/mo
Indianapolis has $2,366/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
174 days
163 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
30 days
days below 20°F per year
Indianapolis drops below 20°F on 30 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
62 / 100
3.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
35 routes
33 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
2.1M metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
6
Indianapolis
categories won
Indianapolis wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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