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 93111

Santa Barbara: median income $144,353, home value $1,296,700, $1,017/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Incline Village, NV 89451 81%333$166,509$1,461,200$763 pricier homes ($165K more) · smaller
Jackson, WY 83001 78%789$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 pricier homes ($372K more) · newer homes
Kailua, HI 96734 76%2,468$132,782$1,367,600$904 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Nantucket, MA 02554 74%2,715$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 pricier homes ($299K more) · more walkable · newer homes
East Hampton, NY 11937 74%2,609$129,883$1,115,100$875 cheaper homes ($182K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Montauk, NY 11954 74%2,621$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96816 69%2,475$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Bellevue, WA 98008 68%918$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($91K less) · 8 min longer commute
Boulder, CO 80304 65%886$126,558$1,210,200$619 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more walkable
Breckenridge, CO 80424 65%835$120,907$1,034,600$830 cheaper homes ($262K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Park City, UT 84060 65%625$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 pricier homes ($498K more) · smaller · older residents
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 64%823$109,659$1,055,900$750 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($241K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Woodinville, WA 98072 63%928$175,805$1,122,200$544 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($175K less) · 10 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33156 62%2,423$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($177K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Boulder, CO 80305 62%886$126,107$1,032,900$578 cheaper homes ($264K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Bedford, MA 01730 61%2,646$172,400$898,500$496 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($398K less) · 11 min longer commute
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 61%2,688$115,417$937,100$772 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($360K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 60%2,534$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($364K more) · 13 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Boca Raton, FL 33486 59%2,415$105,540$664,100$530 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($633K less) · 6 min longer commute
Reno, NV 89511 59%343$124,130$916,600$484 cheaper homes ($380K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Edmonds, WA 98020 59%933$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($265K less) · older residents · 12 min longer commute
Issaquah, WA 98027 59%909$153,301$996,600$507 cheaper homes ($300K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Cos Cob, CT 06807 58%2,535$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($48K more) · pricier homes ($147K more) · smaller
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 58%2,603$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · older residents
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 58%454$184,979$2M+*$847 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($703K more) · older 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.