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.

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Towns most like Santa Fe, NM 87505

Santa Fe: median income $78,247, home value $507,800, $374/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ashland, OR 97520 91%1,010$67,948$580,400$315 pricier homes ($73K more) · younger residents
Asheville, NC 28805 83%1,310$75,151$412,500$281 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · younger residents
Palm Springs, CA 92262 82%618$71,672$619,600$397 pricier homes ($112K more)
Colorado Springs, CO 80904 80%230$69,814$440,000$264 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · younger residents
Boise, ID 83703 80%782$76,910$508,000$353 smaller · younger residents
Olympia, WA 98506 80%1,181$91,596$490,900$298 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Traverse City, MI 49684 79%1,232$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($88K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 78%1,631$94,530$497,400$367 younger residents
Sarasota, FL 34231 78%1,488$69,925$386,900$270 cheaper homes ($121K less)
Portland, OR 97224 78%1,113$98,125$599,600$288 pricier homes ($92K more) · younger residents
Port Townsend, WA 98368 78%1,221$69,688$554,300$385 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · older residents
Branford, CT 06405 77%1,819$105,225$401,200$286 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($107K less)
Asheville, NC 28804 77%1,306$88,312$566,000$324 pricier homes ($58K more) · younger residents
Missoula, MT 59804 77%886$76,266$588,400$351 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · younger residents
Metairie, LA 70005 77%991$89,194$430,200$249 cheaper homes ($78K less) · younger residents · older homes
Tucson, AZ 85704 77%371$81,696$423,900$232 cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Eugene, OR 97405 77%1,080$95,170$537,600$311 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Asheville, NC 28803 76%1,309$76,662$452,900$306 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Sarasota, FL 34233 76%1,489$75,394$411,600$226 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Reno, NV 89509 76%809$86,126$703,700$385 pricier homes ($196K more) · younger residents
Grass Valley, CA 95945 76%866$65,989$539,500$336 pricier homes ($32K more)
Westerly, RI 02891 75%1,871$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Phoenix, AZ 85020 75%380$83,735$447,200$289 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Tucson, AZ 85715 75%367$85,069$370,000$219 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller · younger residents
Carson City, NV 89703 75%801$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($119K more) · smaller · more homeowners

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.