I’d like to pay less than $50k, but realistically, I’m thinking if he goes out of state we should be thinking about something hopefully under $55k.
Santa Maria, CA has a larger population than Santa Barbara and is approx. 30 minutes away from SLO. Though Santa Barbara is WAY nicer. 
But no one will confuse any of these cities with Los Angeles, San Jose or San Francisco.
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@OctoberKate There is a lot to love about Colorado! Invariably, whenever CO schools are suggested people jump in with recommendations for other mountain west cities they believe are comparable.
While Missoula and SLC may have the same laidback, friendly vibe as Fort Collins (aka Fort Fun), neither of them has a city center comparable to Denver nearby. In the mountain west, the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins corridor has that rare combination of world-class outdoor recreation, thriving cultural arts, food, and sports scene; Denver is home to five major sports teams.
And it’s all only an hour away from Fort Collins. In my opinion, Colorado is the best of the west.