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→Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the gateway to Sonoma wine country, less polished than Napa but more lived-in. Charles Schulz lived here and the Snoopy museum is a delight. The Russian River redwoods are 30 minutes west. The city itself has rebuilt impressively after the 2017 fires, with a downtown that mixes wineries, breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants. Cooler than San Francisco in summer.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$2,597/mo
$755/mo less than Santa Maria (29%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$817k
$242k 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
$4,961/mo
Santa Rosa has $755/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
28 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 28 more days above 95°F each year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
69 / 100
10.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
482k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
4
Santa Rosa
categories won
Santa Rosa wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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