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→Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,895/mo
$1,457/mo less than Santa Maria (77%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$351k
$708k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,438/mo
Melbourne has $2,232/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
254 days
83 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
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Maria edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
55 / 100
4.0 pts behind Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
2 routes
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
644k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
4
Melbourne
categories won
Melbourne wins on money. Santa Maria has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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