OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

Reset

Towns most like Nantucket, MA 02554

Nantucket: median income $140,938, home value $1,595,700, $1,581/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Barbara, CA 93111 74%2,715$144,353$1,296,700$1,017 cheaper homes ($299K less) · less walkable · older homes
San Jose, CA 95130 70%2,747$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 pricier homes ($244K more) · 10 min longer commute · older homes
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 68%2,627$182,629$2M+*$1,307 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($404K more) · 5 min longer commute
Jackson, WY 83001 66%2,060$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 pricier homes ($73K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Coronado, CA 92118 66%2,632$134,534$2M+*$1,435 pricier homes ($404K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Barbara, CA 93109 66%2,712$123,347$1,882,500$1,451 pricier homes ($287K more) · more renters · less walkable
Montauk, NY 11954 65%98$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($239K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Incline Village, NV 89451 65%2,596$166,509$1,461,200$763 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller
San Diego, CA 92106 65%2,634$142,897$1,515,200$973 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Encinitas, CA 92024 64%2,626$158,507$1,612,000$993 larger · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 63%2,640$174,904$2M+*$2,122 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($404K more) · older residents
Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 62%2,634$140,666$1,226,200$1,085 cheaper homes ($370K less) · smaller · 12 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95119 61%2,739$174,375$1,247,800$841 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($348K less) · 13 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95125 61%2,743$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 pricier homes ($99K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Kailua, HI 96734 61%5,139$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($228K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Solana Beach, CA 92075 60%2,627$149,327$2M+*$1,136 pricier homes ($404K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Palo Alto, CA 94303 60%2,751$151,609$1,826,200$1,065 pricier homes ($231K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Saint Helena, CA 94574 60%2,740$139,474$1,637,800$1,017 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · older residents
Aptos, CA 95003 60%2,751$148,412$1,198,700$764 cheaper homes ($397K less) · larger · older residents
San Jose, CA 95132 60%2,738$178,611$1,349,100$942 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($247K less) · larger
East Hampton, NY 11937 59%110$129,883$1,115,100$875 cheaper homes ($481K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95118 59%2,744$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger · 14 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95124 59%2,745$185,926$1,666,300$1,134 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Carlsbad, CA 92011 58%2,625$159,235$1,302,600$770 cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 58%2,711$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger · older residents

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.