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 93108

Santa Barbara: median income $230,419, home value $2M+*, $1,802/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 70%2,277$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($38K less) · smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 69%443$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($45K less) · larger · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06831 65%2,522$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Wilson, WY 83014 61%782$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($90K less) · smaller · newer homes
Medina, WA 98039 61%921$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Honolulu, HI 96821 59%2,482$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 55%2,281$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($73K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 54%917$219,069$2M+*$799 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Chilmark, MA 02535 53%2,671$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($76K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
Southampton, NY 11968 53%2,588$156,219$1,326,600$963 lower income ($74K less) · cheaper homes ($673K less) · 6 min longer commute
Water Mill, NY 11976 53%2,591$180,250$2M+*$943 lower income ($50K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Weston, MA 02493 50%2,636$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
West Tisbury, MA 02575 50%2,676$173,417$1,306,300— lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($694K less) · smaller
Alpine, NJ 07620 48%2,509$246,944$2M+*$792 smaller · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Montauk, NY 11954 48%2,612$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 lower income ($87K less) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller
Incline Village, NV 89451 48%333$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less) · younger residents
Wellesley, MA 02482 47%2,637$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 45%2,369$172,500$1,131,800$998 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($868K less) · smaller
Riverside, CT 06878 43%2,527$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents · 15 min longer commute
Lincoln, MA 01773 42%2,635$209,327$1,200,800$484 cheaper homes ($799K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Manchester, MA 01944 42%2,662$206,389$942,000$608 cheaper homes ($1058K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 42%2,526$192,115$1,443,200$722 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 42%2,527$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · younger residents · 11 min longer commute
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 42%2,593$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 lower income ($103K less) · cheaper homes ($792K less)
Avalon, NJ 08202 41%2,480$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 lower income ($84K less) · cheaper homes ($143K 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.