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 93105

Santa Barbara: median income $138,286, home value $1,663,000, $1,110/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06830 77%2,530$146,654$1,660,700$858 9 min longer commute
Incline Village, NV 89451 71%333$166,509$1,461,200$763 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($202K less) · smaller
Kailua, HI 96734 70%2,472$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($295K less) · larger · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96816 69%2,479$114,609$1,168,800$730 cheaper homes ($494K less) · larger · more walkable
Jackson, WY 83001 67%787$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 younger residents · newer homes
Park City, UT 84060 63%622$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 pricier homes ($132K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Boulder, CO 80304 60%883$126,558$1,210,200$619 cheaper homes ($453K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Bellevue, WA 98005 60%919$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($144K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Nantucket, MA 02554 58%2,711$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98008 57%919$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($457K less) · younger residents
Miami, FL 33156 56%2,419$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($543K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78703 55%1,311$153,036$1,495,800$565 cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Boulder, CO 80305 55%882$126,107$1,032,900$578 cheaper homes ($630K less) · smaller · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 55%934$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($632K less) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
Montauk, NY 11954 54%2,617$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($306K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Mercer Island, WA 98040 54%916$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($81K more) · pricier homes ($337K more) · 5 min longer commute
Portsmouth, NH 03801 53%2,664$106,756$699,900$534 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($963K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Cos Cob, CT 06807 53%2,532$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller
Nashville, TN 37205 53%1,848$139,152$953,300$403 cheaper homes ($710K less) · more homeowners
Kirkland, WA 98033 53%924$182,500$1,491,700$742 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Kirkland, WA 98034 52%927$135,219$946,300$565 cheaper homes ($717K less) · larger · younger residents
Bedford, MA 01730 51%2,643$172,400$898,500$496 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($765K less) · smaller
East Hampton, NY 11937 51%2,606$129,883$1,115,100$875 cheaper homes ($548K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Boca Raton, FL 33432 51%2,412$107,045$1,052,700$856 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($610K less) · older residents
Austin, TX 78746 51%1,307$188,414$1,494,300$557 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($169K less) · 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.