Overview

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.

Santa Maria History

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:

  • Santa Maria Museum of Flight: displays of aircraft and artifacts from World War II to the present.
  • The Natural History Museum: rock/fossil exhibits, native bird displays, an extensive shell collection, and more.
  • Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Museum.
  • Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum.
  • Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum.
  • Santa Maria Museum of Flight.
  • Motorcycle Museum.
  • Chapel San Ramon: a century old church and cemetery.
  • Broadway Gallery: exhibits from local artists including watercolor, oil paintings, stained glass, pottery, and garden art.
  • The David Ryan Gallery: one of the largest fine art galleries on the Central Coast.
  • Allan Hancock College Art Gallery.
  • Dunes Center (Guadalupe).
  • Guadalupe Cultural Arts and Education Center.
  • The Loading Dock (Orcutt): a funky furniture/antique shop which doubles as a contemporary art gallery and espresso café.
  • Culture Corner Gallery (located at the Town Center Mall in Santa Maria).
  • Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) Theaterfest: nationally acclaimed world-class performances year round.
  • Santa Maria Civic Theater: oldest theater group in the region.
  • The Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville: stages authentic turn-of-the-century style shows.
  • Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra.
  • Coastal Voices.

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.

Demographics

People

Total Population105,483
Male Share of the Population49.7%
Female Share of the Population50.3%
Senior Citizens9.6%
Employed Population 16+46,496
Age of the Population29

Families

% of people married46.1%
Average household size4

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher13.9%
Median Earnings25+$27,632
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$22,455
Median Earnings With High School Degree$30,790

Wealth

Median Family Income$58,258
% Above Poverty Level82.9%
% Below Poverty Level17.1%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time21 minutes
% Working from Home3.2%
% Walking and Biking to Work2%
% Using Public Transportation2%

Housing

People Living Alone15.7%
Median Gross Rent$1,362
Median House Value$325,400

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)79.6%
German3.8%
Irish3.4%
English2.6%
Italian1.5%
French Except Basque0.7%
Swedish0.7%
Norwegian0.6%
Portuguese0.6%
Scottish0.5%
Polish0.5%
Arab0.4%
Welsh0.3%
Dutch0.3%
Austrian0.2%
Danishn0.2%
Swiss0.2%
Russian0.2%
African0.1%
Serbian0.1%
Greek0.1%
Syrian0.1%
Lebanese0.1%
Finnish0.1%
Canadian0.1%
Hungarian0.1%
Romanian0.1%
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Santa Maria Almanac

CategoryValue
CountySanta Barbara County
Standard Zip Codes93458, 93455, 93454
P.O. Box Zip Codes93456, 93457
Phone Area Codes805
Time ZoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Approximate Latitude34.93
Approximate Longitude-120.46

Santa Maria Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationSANTA MARIA AP
Distance3.1 miles
Jan Temp39 to 64 F
Apr Temp43 to 68 F
Jul Temp54 to 74 F
Oct Temp48 to 74 F
Annual Precip14 inches
StationTWITCHELL DAM
Distance7 miles
Jan Temp41 to 66 F
Apr Temp45 to 71 F
Jul Temp53 to 80 F
Oct Temp50 to 78 F
Annual Precip17.8 inches
StationPISMO BEACH
Distance20.4 miles
Jan Temp43 to 65 F
Apr Temp46 to 69 F
Jul Temp53 to 71 F
Oct Temp51 to 73 F
Annual Precip17.7 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Arroyo Grande18,039$105,820
Grover Beach13,538$67,905
Guadalupe7,350$46,434
Lompoc43,511$60,064
Pismo Beach8,116$103,636

Santa Maria Public Libraries

Santa Maria Public Library
421 S. MCCLELLAND ST.
Santa Maria, California
(805) 925-0994

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More Information for Librarians

Santa Maria Hospitals

Marian Medical Center
(Non-profit)
1400 East Church Street

Santa Maria Public Schools

Alvin Elementary
301 E. Alvin Ave.
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 1002
Battles (washington) Elementary
605 E. Battles Rd.
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 1007
Benjamin Foxen Elementary
4949 Foxen Canyon Rd.
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 133
Family Partnership Home Study Charter
625 S. Mcclelland
ZIP: 93454
Other
Total Enrollment 317
Fesler (isaac) Junior High
1100 E. Fesler St.
ZIP: 93454
Middle
Total Enrollment 855
Miller (isaac) Elementary
410 E. Camino Colegio
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 930
Pioneer Valley High
675 Panther Dr.
ZIP: 93454
High
Total Enrollment 2741
Rice (william) Elementary
700 E. Vickie Ave.
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 929
Santa Maria High
901 S. Brd.way
ZIP: 93454
High
Total Enrollment 2569
Taylor (ida Redmond) Elementary
1921 N. Carlotti Dr.
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 932
Trivium Charter
4949 Foxen Canyon Rd., Ste. A #332
ZIP: 93454
Other
Total Enrollment 613
Tunnell (martin Luther) Elementary
1248 E. Dena Way
ZIP: 93454
Primary
Total Enrollment 916
Alice Shaw Elementary
759 Dahlia Pl.
ZIP: 93455
Primary
Total Enrollment 635
Arellanes (don Juan Bautista) Elementary
1890 Sandalwood Dr.
ZIP: 93455
Primary
Total Enrollment 292
Arellanes Junior High
1890 Sandalwood Dr.
ZIP: 93455
Middle
Total Enrollment 572
Delta High
4893 Bethany Ln.
ZIP: 93455
High
Total Enrollment 391
Ernest Righetti High
941 E. Foster Rd.
ZIP: 93455
High
Total Enrollment 2080
Joe Nightingale Elementary
255 Winter Rd.
ZIP: 93455
Primary
Total Enrollment 807
Lakeview Junior High
3700 Orcutt Rd.
ZIP: 93455
Middle
Total Enrollment 498
Orcutt Junior High
608 Pinal St.
ZIP: 93455
Middle
Total Enrollment 516
Patterson Road Elementary
400 Patterson Rd.
ZIP: 93455
Primary
Total Enrollment 647
Pine Grove Elementary
1050 E. Rice Ranch Rd.
ZIP: 93455
Primary
Total Enrollment 568
Ralph Dunlap Elementary
1220 Oak Knoll Rd.
ZIP: 93455
Primary
Total Enrollment 635
Santa Barbara County Rop-north
4893 Bethany Ln.
ZIP: 93455
Other
Adam (william Laird) Elementary
500 W. Windsor
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 1095
Bonita Elementary
2715 W. Main St.
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 638
Bruce (robert) Elementary
601 W. Alvin Ave.
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 884
El Camino Junior High
219 W. El Camino
ZIP: 93458
Middle
Total Enrollment 697
Fairlawn Elementary
120 N. Mary Dr.
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 784
Kunst (tommie) Junior High
930 Hidden Pines Way
ZIP: 93458
Middle
Total Enrollment 782
Liberty Elementary
1300 W. Sonya Ln.
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 852
Oakley (calvin C.) Elementary
1120 W. Harding St.
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 958
Ontiveros (juan Pacifico) Elementary
930 W. Rancho Verde
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 1017
Phoenix High School
402 Farnel Rd., Ste. M
ZIP: 93458
Sanchez (david J.) Elementary
804 W. Liberty St.
ZIP: 93458
Primary
Total Enrollment 884

Santa Maria Private Schools

St Mary Of The Assumption School
424 E Cypress St
ZIP: 93454
Elementary
Total Enrollment 206
Children's House Montessori School
1331 E Foster Rd
ZIP: 93455
Elementary
Total Enrollment 9
Pacific Christian School
3435 Santa Maria Way
ZIP: 93455
Elementary
Total Enrollment 314
St Joseph High School
4120 S Bradley Rd
ZIP: 93455
Secondary
Total Enrollment 474
Valley Christian Academy
2970 Santa Maria Way
ZIP: 93455
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 348
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