City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 3.8% higher than in Minneapolis, MN. Someone earning $100,000 in Minneapolis, MN would need about $103,800 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,277 a year in MN and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.9% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Santa Maria, CA ($116,038 → $124,085), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,793 in Santa Maria | $96,346 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
28 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Minneapolis → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $71,957 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $87,061 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $104,349 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $124,085 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $146,632 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $101,030 | $97,338 (+22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $158,290 | $152,505 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $91,610 | $88,262 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $137,360 | $132,340 (+28.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.