From the freeway, Santa Maria’s subdivisions and strip malls nestled amid golden hills might lead you to mistake it for any other California city. But step inside Rancho Nipomo BBQ or Jocko’s and you’ll encounter something altogether unique: Santa Maria–style barbecue. The most famous approach barbecue on the West Coast originated here back when California was part of Mexico, and still features the same simple, oak-fired grilling methods. Plenty of hungry pilots and farmers—who make up the city’s two largest industries—have surely enjoyed this regional cuisine. Vandenberg Air Force Base is Santa Maria’s largest employer, with many other locals, especially the diverse population that drives the city’s ranking of #10 in Foreign Born Residents) supporting the area’s strawberry, grape and lettuce farms. Santa Maria is a fairly prosperous city, ranking #11 for Household Income, and its proximity to UC Santa Barbara powers a tie for #5 in our University ranking. This being central California, the weather’s nice too, ranking #10.