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→Minneapolis
Minneapolis is 22 lakes inside city limits, an extensive skyway system that lets you cross downtown in February without a coat, and a music legacy that runs from Prince to The Replacements. Summer is a glorious lake-jumping, ice-cream-licking festival. Winter is sauna-and-skate season, with rinks on every lake and cross-country trails stitched through the city. Walleye is on every menu.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,679/mo
$1,673/mo less than Santa Maria (100%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$398k
$661k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
7.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,000/mo
Minneapolis has $1,794/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
147 days
190 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
84 days
days below 20°F per year
Minneapolis drops below 20°F on 84 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
76 / 100
17.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
130 routes
128 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
3.7M metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
6
Minneapolis
categories won
Minneapolis wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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