Nice place on California's secret coast
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1/7/2008
Santa Maria, California, together with its immediately adjacent county-run suburb of Orcutt, gives approximately 140.000 Californians a nice place to live and work. High-tech is in demand at close-by Vandenberg Air Force Base (once the Western Cape Kennedy) as well as in Santa Maria's light industry, wine making has become a booming business, agricullture and tourism are traditional stand-bys. The exorbitant cost of housing prevalent in California has not passed SM by: median home prices close to half a million Dollars are currently a scourge that drives young residents to neighboring states, but the cost of living minus housing is fairly low. Excellent medical services in town make it an attractive destination for Californians seeking top-tier medica attention, the local theatre company and Santa Maria's Hancock college raise the cultural level above boots and belt buckle Central California (although the annual Rodeo - row-day-oh - puts the pickup crowd front row center), the Pacific coast is minutes away. Traffic is medium to light, air quality is still good, and folks are friendly without the cloying neighborliness of other similarly sized communities.
All in all, SM is worth a Google or two if you're thinking of relocating to surf and sand. I grew up in Pasadena in the L.A. Basin -- the difference is breathtaking. Literally.
Peter | Orcutt, CA