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 93109

Santa Barbara: median income $123,347, home value $1,882,500, $1,451/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jackson, WY 83001 81%789$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 cheaper homes ($213K less) · larger · newer homes
Nantucket, MA 02554 66%2,712$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 cheaper homes ($287K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Montauk, NY 11954 65%2,618$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($526K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Kailua, HI 96734 64%2,472$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($515K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Park City, UT 84060 63%623$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 cheaper homes ($88K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Incline Village, NV 89451 61%336$166,509$1,461,200$763 higher income ($43K more) · cheaper homes ($421K less) · older residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 59%2,531$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($222K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96816 54%2,479$114,609$1,168,800$730 cheaper homes ($714K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
East Hampton, NY 11937 53%2,606$129,883$1,115,100$875 cheaper homes ($767K less) · larger · more homeowners
Basalt, CO 81621 53%781$104,754$1,136,600$1,250 cheaper homes ($746K less) · smaller · 12 min longer commute
Koloa, HI 96756 53%2,552$99,274$969,800$1,130 cheaper homes ($913K less) · smaller · newer homes
Breckenridge, CO 80424 50%832$120,907$1,034,600$830 cheaper homes ($848K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Minturn, CO 81645 50%815$102,039$1,089,600$847 cheaper homes ($793K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Wilson, WY 83014 50%787$140,473$2M+*$1,274 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller · older residents
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 49%821$109,659$1,055,900$750 cheaper homes ($827K less) · larger · more homeowners
Hanalei, HI 96714 49%2,548$132,448$1,209,000$2,200 cheaper homes ($674K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Boulder, CO 80304 48%883$126,558$1,210,200$619 cheaper homes ($672K less) · larger · more homeowners
Boulder, CO 80305 48%883$126,107$1,032,900$578 cheaper homes ($850K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Bellevue, WA 98005 48%922$160,849$1,519,500$613 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($363K less) · larger
Snowmass Village, CO 81615 47%781$102,959$1,729,900$1,546 cheaper homes ($153K less) · smaller · older residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 46%2,532$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($69K more) · cheaper homes ($439K less) · 12 min longer commute
Vail, CO 81657 45%822$100,573$1,501,800$1,169 cheaper homes ($381K less) · smaller · older residents
Princeville, HI 96722 45%2,542$100,938$1,431,600$974 cheaper homes ($451K less) · smaller · older residents
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 44%2,599$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 cheaper homes ($675K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Dillon, CO 80435 44%838$97,463$941,600$927 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($941K less) · younger residents

* 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.