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 Monica, CA 90402

Santa Monica: median income $159,100, home value $2M+*, $1,463/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 66%954$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($60K more) · larger · younger residents
Avon By The Sea, NJ 07717 65%2,462$122,635$1,509,600$986 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($490K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 63%2,478$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger · younger residents
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 61%2,461$134,167$1,356,700$846 cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96821 58%2,540$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger · more homeowners
Incline Village, NV 89451 57%370$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less) · 8 min shorter commute · less walkable
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 56%2,222$156,979$1,581,300$975 cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Wellesley, MA 02482 55%2,593$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($67K more) · cheaper homes ($648K less) · younger residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 55%2,480$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98008 55%957$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger
Charlotte, NC 28207 54%2,131$217,204$1,409,300$595 higher income ($58K more) · cheaper homes ($591K less) · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 54%972$130,319$1,031,500$625 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($969K less) · larger
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 53%2,461$116,295$927,700$705 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($1072K less) · newer homes
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 53%377$184,979$2M+*$847 higher income ($26K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98112 53%960$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($451K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98199 53%962$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · larger · younger residents
Newton Center, MA 02459 52%2,598$227,594$1,450,900$586 higher income ($68K more) · cheaper homes ($549K less) · larger
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 52%2,597$224,000$1,255,400$684 higher income ($65K more) · cheaper homes ($745K less) · smaller
West Newton, MA 02465 52%2,596$194,265$1,159,200$619 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($841K less) · younger residents
Needham Heights, MA 02494 52%2,596$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02421 51%2,596$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($69K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06831 51%2,476$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($68K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · younger residents
Summit, NJ 07901 51%2,441$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1012K less) · larger · younger residents
Port Washington, NY 11050 50%2,475$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($965K less) · larger · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96825 50%2,536$153,210$1,088,700$759 cheaper homes ($911K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute

* 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.