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 Barbara, CA 93101

Santa Barbara: median income $90,148, home value $1,184,000, $1,083/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Honolulu, HI 96818 62%2,485$100,567$667,900$576 cheaper homes ($516K less) · larger · more homeowners
Key West, FL 33040 58%2,365$86,586$819,400$824 cheaper homes ($365K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Wahiawa, HI 96786 58%2,486$85,554$807,900$511 cheaper homes ($376K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Charleston, SC 29403 57%2,276$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($510K less) · more walkable
Laie, HI 96762 55%2,476$125,645$944,500$740 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10038 54%2,512$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($262K less) · 9 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Boston, MA 02111 53%2,654$87,404$1,033,500$1,037 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
White Plains, NY 10606 53%2,522$112,270$682,300$492 cheaper homes ($502K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Alexandria, VA 22305 53%2,363$113,537$864,500$521 cheaper homes ($320K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Avon, CO 81620 50%811$102,775$861,500$950 cheaper homes ($323K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Honolulu, HI 96822 50%2,481$95,947$1,003,400$551 cheaper homes ($181K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02118 49%2,653$98,224$1,058,200$1,078 cheaper homes ($126K less) · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Honolulu, HI 96817 49%2,482$75,476$916,100$590 cheaper homes ($268K less) · larger · older residents
Miami, FL 33138 48%2,419$75,051$784,700$560 cheaper homes ($399K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98007 48%921$131,109$1,018,100$543 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($166K less) · 6 min longer commute
Brooklyn, NY 11211 47%2,514$107,506$1,140,700$1,449 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 15 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96813 47%2,482$91,690$819,700$723 cheaper homes ($364K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Bellingham, WA 98225 47%1,000$63,941$631,200$458 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($553K less) · larger
Waltham, MA 02453 46%2,645$115,366$705,100$473 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($479K less) · 7 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33133 46%2,419$103,420$1,022,400$923 cheaper homes ($162K less) · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78704 46%1,310$106,897$916,100$507 cheaper homes ($268K less) · larger · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98125 46%929$99,868$874,300$489 cheaper homes ($310K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Newport, RI 02840 45%2,646$86,250$746,900$643 cheaper homes ($437K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33143 45%2,416$83,008$857,200$738 cheaper homes ($327K less) · older residents · 12 min longer commute
Salt Lake City, UT 84103 45%613$83,916$779,200$375 cheaper homes ($405K less) · 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.