City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Santa Maria, CA (108.8) and Vallejo, CA (108.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Santa Maria, CA goes as far as $99,700 in Vallejo, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,705 in Vallejo, CA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 28% in Vallejo, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Vallejo, CA ($124,085 → $133,060), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Santa Maria, CA | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,707 in Vallejo | $100,294 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/mo | $1,705/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 44% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Vallejo, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
Vallejo, CA → Santa Maria, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Vallejo, CA | Real change, Santa Maria → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $77,161 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $93,358 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $111,896 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $133,060 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $157,236 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $100,790 | $101,086 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $136,930 | $137,333 (−13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $95,800 | $96,082 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $203,290 | $203,888 (+48.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.