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 Santa Monica, CA 90403

Santa Monica: median income $121,925, home value $1,548,900, $1,021/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New York, NY 10019 82%2,460$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 cheaper homes ($488K less) · larger · less walkable
New York, NY 10128 79%2,462$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02140 75%2,600$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($399K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
New York, NY 10065 75%2,461$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($129K less) · less walkable
New York, NY 10021 74%2,461$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98102 72%961$114,925$963,200$617 cheaper homes ($586K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10016 71%2,461$140,381$905,000$1,232 cheaper homes ($644K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10023 70%2,460$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($191K less) · larger
New York, NY 10038 70%2,460$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($627K less) · younger residents
Boston, MA 02114 69%2,604$132,210$924,400$1,148 cheaper homes ($625K less) · smaller · younger residents
Boston, MA 02118 68%2,604$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($491K less) · younger residents · older homes
New York, NY 10028 68%2,462$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 higher income ($53K more) · pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
New York, NY 10044 68%2,462$103,347$1,034,100$967 cheaper homes ($515K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98119 68%962$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($501K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Cambridge, MA 02141 67%2,603$126,522$868,100$842 cheaper homes ($681K less) · smaller · younger residents
Washington, DC 20008 67%2,307$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($584K less) · younger residents · older homes
Boston, MA 02116 66%2,603$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 younger residents · older homes
Weehawken, NJ 07086 66%2,458$127,763$889,000$672 cheaper homes ($660K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
New York, NY 10017 66%2,461$136,705$756,600$1,269 cheaper homes ($792K less) · smaller · less walkable
New York, NY 10010 64%2,460$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 cheaper homes ($513K less) · younger residents · older homes
New York, NY 10036 64%2,460$95,638$952,900$1,304 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($596K less) · more renters
Brookline, MA 02446 63%2,601$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($367K less) · younger residents · older homes
New York, NY 10075 63%2,459$155,902$991,900$1,342 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · more homeowners
Brooklyn, NY 11201 62%2,460$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 higher income ($51K more) · cheaper homes ($438K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11231 61%2,460$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · younger residents

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.