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→San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$3,095/mo
$257/mo less than Santa Maria (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$934k
$125k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$4,463/mo
San Luis Obispo has $257/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
303 days
34 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
14 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
San Luis Obispo has 14 more days above 95°F each year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
68 / 100
9.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
3 routes
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
282k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
4
San Luis Obispo
categories won
San Luis Obispo wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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