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→Lancaster
Lancaster is the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country, with horse-drawn buggies on rural roads and the Central Market (the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country, since the 1730s). The food scene is sneaky-strong, the surrounding farmland is gorgeous, and the city's downtown has come back nicely. Whoopie pies, shoofly pies, and sticky buns are mandatory.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,517/mo
$1,835/mo less than Santa Maria (121%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$384k
$675k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
3.1%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,561/mo
Lancaster has $2,355/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
158 days
179 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
25 days
days below 20°F per year
Lancaster drops below 20°F on 25 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
63 / 100
4.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
1 routes
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
559k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
5
Lancaster
categories won
Lancaster wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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