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→Lubbock
Lubbock is Texas Tech, Buddy Holly's hometown (the museum downtown is a delight), and the heart of West Texas cotton country. The flatness goes on forever, the sunsets are huge, and the wide sky makes every night feel like a planetarium. The food scene leans BBQ and Tex-Mex. The Llano Estacado wine region is right outside town. Friendly and quietly cool.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,384/mo
$1,968/mo less than Santa Maria (142%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$211k
$848k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,949/mo
Lubbock has $2,743/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
186 days
151 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
61 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
7 days
days below 20°F per year
Lubbock has 61 more days above 95°F each year than Santa Maria. Lubbock drops below 20°F on 7 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
5 / 100
54.0 pts behind Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
7 routes
5 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
360k metro
the verdict
4
Santa Maria
categories won
5
Lubbock
categories won
Lubbock wins on money. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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