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 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

Rancho Santa Fe: median income $187,054, home value $2M+*, $1,153/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chilmark, MA 02535 79%2,591$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
Alpine, NJ 07620 75%2,426$246,944$2M+*$792 higher income ($60K more) · smaller
Southampton, NY 11968 74%2,505$156,219$1,326,600$963 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($673K less) · larger
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 71%2,160$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96821 71%2,602$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger · older homes
Greenwich, CT 06831 70%2,440$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger
Water Mill, NY 11976 67%2,508$180,250$2M+*$943 smaller · older residents · 14 min shorter commute
Woodinville, WA 98077 67%1,050$184,306$1,206,400$546 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Redmond, WA 98053 66%1,042$192,292$1,213,600$615 cheaper homes ($786K less) · larger · newer homes
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 64%306$184,979$2M+*$847 larger · older residents · 13 min shorter commute
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 63%2,451$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 higher income ($63K more) · cheaper homes ($359K less) · smaller
Shelter Island, NY 11964 63%2,509$134,620$1,078,500$801 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($922K less) · smaller
Sammamish, WA 98075 63%1,038$250,000+*$1,599,100$561 higher income ($63K more) · cheaper homes ($401K less) · larger
Cohasset, MA 02025 62%2,585$199,306$1,318,900$546 cheaper homes ($681K less) · older homes
Saddle River, NJ 07458 62%2,417$244,022$1,188,500$501 higher income ($57K more) · cheaper homes ($812K less)
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 61%2,411$236,023$1,265,000$456 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($735K less)
Armonk, NY 10504 61%2,437$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 higher income ($63K more) · cheaper homes ($757K less) · 5 min longer commute
Riverside, CT 06878 60%2,444$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 higher income ($63K more) · cheaper homes ($31K less) · more walkable
Rumson, NJ 07760 60%2,423$226,635$1,338,400$858 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($662K less) · 11 min longer commute
Weston, MA 02493 59%2,560$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 higher income ($63K more) · cheaper homes ($306K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 59%2,414$198,994$917,200$474 cheaper homes ($1083K less)
Far Hills, NJ 07931 59%2,388$201,078$1,165,700$477 cheaper homes ($834K less) · smaller
Glen Head, NY 11545 59%2,443$182,528$1,101,100$601 cheaper homes ($899K less) · larger · older homes
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 59%2,157$192,813$2M+*$1,204 smaller · older residents · 15 min shorter commute
Mantoloking, NJ 08738 58%2,421$250,000+*$1,493,200$1,040 higher income ($63K more) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · smaller

* 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.