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 the birthplace of Route 66 (the road was officially named in a meeting here in 1926), Bass Pro Shops' world headquarters, and the gateway to the Ozarks. Wonders of Wildlife (next to the Bass Pro store) is genuinely one of the best aquariums in America. The city itself is friendly, affordable, and surprisingly leafy. Branson is 30 miles south for the lake-and-show experience.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,352/mo
$1,249/mo
$2,103/mo less than Santa Maria (168%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$268k
$791k less than Santa Maria
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,206/mo
$6,693/mo
Springfield has $2,487/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
170 days
167 fewer than Santa Maria
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
12 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
20 days
days below 20°F per year
Springfield has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Santa Maria. Springfield drops below 20°F on 20 more days per year than Santa Maria.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
59 / 100
50 / 100
9.0 pts behind Santa Maria
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
9 routes
7 more direct routes than Santa Maria
Metro size
Metro size
441k metro
491k metro
the verdict
4
Santa Maria
categories won
5
Springfield
categories won
Springfield wins on money. Santa Maria has the edge on weather.
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