Uprootmap
Bakersfield vs Santa Maria
Bakersfield and Santa Maria
Photo: Zairon / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Santa Maria are under the US rate in this release, 3.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Bakersfield to Santa Maria
In 2022-2023, 161 households filed a move from Bakersfield to Santa Maria (about 246 people, average adjusted gross income $86,671). 180 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,218 in Bakersfield and $2,323 in Santa Maria. Bakersfield has a state tax on wages. Santa Maria has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Santa Maria is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 83% in Bakersfield.
Santa Maria averages 263 sunny days, with July highs around 95°F and January nights around 40°F. Bakersfield is 263 sunny days, 99°F in July, 40°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Santa Maria and 24 in Bakersfield.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 161 households moved Bakersfield → Santa Maria (about 246 people, average AGI $86,671). 180 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Bakersfield and Santa Maria changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 112 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,650–$3,100
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Santa Maria
Questions
Is Santa Maria cheaper than Bakersfield after tax and rent?
No. Santa Maria leaves about $968 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,218 in Bakersfield and $2,323 in Santa Maria.
Does Santa Maria have state income tax?
Santa Maria is in California, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Bakersfield to Santa Maria?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.