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→Springfield
Springfield is where basketball was invented in 1891 (the Basketball Hall of Fame is right here), and where Dr. Seuss grew up (there's a sculpture garden downtown). The city's old industrial buildings are slowly coming back, and the surrounding Pioneer Valley is one of the prettiest stretches in New England. UMass is just up the road. Quieter than Boston, much cheaper.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,913/mo
$1,439/mo less than Santa Maria (75%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$373k
$686k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,004/mo
Springfield has $1,798/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
47 days
days below 20°F per year
Springfield drops below 20°F on 47 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
66 / 100
7.0 pts ahead of Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
26 routes
24 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
460k metro
the verdict
2
Santa Maria
categories won
6
Springfield
categories won
Springfield wins on money and lifestyle. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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