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→Spartanburg
Spartanburg is the Upstate of South Carolina, with rolling foothills, peach orchards (yes, South Carolina actually grows more peaches than Georgia in some years), and the largest BMW manufacturing plant in the world just outside town. The downtown's been revitalizing with breweries and restaurants. Wofford and Converse keep college energy in town. The Blue Ridge is right there.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,918/mo less than Santa Maria (134%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$277k
$782k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,358/mo
Spartanburg has $2,152/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
191 days
146 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Spartanburg has 16 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
20 routes
18 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
383k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
6
Spartanburg
categories won
Spartanburg wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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