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→Kingsport
Kingsport is a planned 'model city' built by the Eastman Chemical Company in the early 1900s, with a downtown laid out in deliberate grids and the company still dominating the local economy. It's in the Tri-Cities area (with Bristol and Johnson City), tucked into the Appalachian foothills. Bays Mountain Park and the South Fork Holston River give it strong outdoor access. Quietly orderly.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,383/mo
$1,969/mo less than Santa Maria (142%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$244k
$815k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,950/mo
Kingsport has $2,744/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
188 days
149 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
15 days
days below 20°F per year
Kingsport drops below 20°F on 15 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
59 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
312k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
4
Kingsport
categories won
Kingsport wins on money. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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