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 90405

Santa Monica: median income $121,241, home value $1,929,900, $1,153/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cambridge, MA 02140 68%2,600$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($780K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
New York, NY 10128 67%2,461$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($488K less) · larger
New York, NY 10021 65%2,461$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($552K less) · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33133 65%2,347$103,420$1,022,400$923 cheaper homes ($908K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98119 65%963$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($882K less) · younger residents
New York, NY 10019 64%2,460$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 cheaper homes ($869K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10065 64%2,461$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($510K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02116 62%2,603$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 cheaper homes ($367K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02118 62%2,603$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($872K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Greenwich, CT 06830 62%2,477$146,654$1,660,700$858 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($269K less) · more homeowners
New York, NY 10023 61%2,460$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($572K less) · larger
New York, NY 10028 60%2,461$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($327K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11231 60%2,459$139,930$1,611,200$1,376 cheaper homes ($319K less) · 9 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98116 60%959$126,151$973,400$612 cheaper homes ($957K less) · more homeowners
New York, NY 10038 59%2,459$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($1008K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98102 59%962$114,925$963,200$617 cheaper homes ($967K less) · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98103 58%965$131,154$1,044,100$570 cheaper homes ($886K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10013 57%2,459$161,154$2M+*$2,091 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($70K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Brookline, MA 02446 56%2,601$131,963$1,181,500$843 cheaper homes ($748K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Washington, DC 20007 56%2,305$140,996$1,292,400$727 cheaper homes ($638K less) · more homeowners · older homes
New York, NY 10010 55%2,460$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 cheaper homes ($894K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10016 55%2,460$140,381$905,000$1,232 cheaper homes ($1025K less) · larger · younger residents
Brooklyn, NY 11217 55%2,460$162,863$1,636,500$1,385 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger
Washington, DC 20008 55%2,306$125,212$965,100$596 cheaper homes ($965K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Denver, CO 80209 55%843$125,733$1,018,300$513 cheaper homes ($912K less) · younger residents · more homeowners

* 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.