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Detailed pages on related topics: Santa Maria colleges • Santa Maria travel • Santa Maria mortgage and property.
Introduction to Santa Maria, California
Located in the center of California's Central Coast in Santa Barbara County, the city of Santa Maria lies 270 miles south of San Francisco and 170 miles north of Los Angeles. It is one of three communities comprising the Santa Maria Valley, the others being the city of Guadalupe (9 miles to the west) and the unincorporated community of Orcutt (7 miles to the south). U.S. Route 101 runs through the city, and California State Highway 1 runs along the coastline to the west of the city. State Highway 166 provides the principal route eastward, eventually intersecting Interstate-5 in Bakersfield.
Incorporated in 1905, the city was originally called Grangerville (named after the town's first store, the Grange), then Central City. But in 1885, after it was discovered that local mail was mistakenly being routed to a city in Colorado with the same name, the city's name was changed (for the final time) to Santa Maria. In 1904, oil was discovered in the valley when an exploratory drilling a few miles south of the city of Santa Maria produced a huge gusher that was affectionately christened "Old Maud". For the next 80 years, the oil industry flourished but recent decades have seen a return to agriculture as the predominant natural force in the valley. Over the past 30 years, the Santa Maria Valley wine country has flourished as a major attraction, driving local tourism while attracting investment from Kendall-Jackson, Robert Mondavi, and other giants of the industry. The "Santa Maria Style Barbecue", whose origins go back 150 years to the early ranchos, has also become a signature attraction during this time. Other industries which have become predominant in recent years include aerospace (aided by the presence of nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base), communications, and high-tech research and development.
Santa Maria Arts & Culture
The Santa Maria Valley is noted for its rich soil, but its richness is also reflected in the variety and quality of its cultural offerings, a few of which are listed here:
Pro sports fans willing to take a two-hour drive eastward along highway 166 to Bakersfield can see the Bakersfield Blaze (a Minor League Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers) or the Bakersfield Condors of the East Coast Hockey League. Los Angeles is about a three-hour drive away (south on US Highway 101), but hosts a number of pro teams, including the Dodgers (baseball), Clippers and Lakers (NBA basketball), Kings (NHL hockey), Riptide (lacrosse), Galaxy (soccer), and Avengers (Arena football).
More locally, fans of semi-pro baseball can watch the Santa Maria Indians Baseball Club, California’s oldest semi-pro club with more than 53 years of continuous service. Sports fans may also be interested to learn that famed NFL commentator John Madden started out as head coach for Santa Maria’s Allan Hancock College football team in 1962-1963.
Comparing Santa Maria to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in California (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Male Share of the Population | |  |
| Children Under 5 Years Old | | |
| Racial Diversity | |  |
| Senior Citizens |  |  |
| Well-Paid Single Men |  |  |
| Age of the Population | | |
| Female Share of the Population | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | | |
| Portion of People Married |  | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Median Family Income | | |
| People Above Poverty | | |
| College Educated Adults | | |
| People in Middle Class or Better | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Short Commute Times | | |
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Working at Home | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | | |
| Housing Recently Built | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing |  | |
| People Living Alone | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Low Property Crime | | |
| Low Violent Crime | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Santa Maria colleges • Santa Maria travel • Santa Maria mortgage and property.
 | Santa Maria Colleges Santa Maria colleges and trade schools. |
 | Santa Maria Hotels & Travel Santa Maria hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Santa Maria Mortgage Santa Maria property, mortgage, and real estate. |
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