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 Goleta, CA 93117

Goleta: median income $90,037, home value $1,082,400, $821/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Honolulu, HI 96818 66%2,476$100,567$667,900$576 cheaper homes ($415K less) · older residents
Laie, HI 96762 64%2,468$125,645$944,500$740 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller
Bellingham, WA 98225 64%998$63,941$631,200$458 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($451K less) · older residents
Wahiawa, HI 96786 63%2,478$85,554$807,900$511 cheaper homes ($275K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Charleston, SC 29403 58%2,284$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($408K less) · smaller · older residents
Boulder, CO 80302 58%889$61,698$1,190,800$604 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller
Bozeman, MT 59715 56%905$88,407$848,400$466 cheaper homes ($234K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Boulder, CO 80303 56%890$78,555$961,900$467 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · older residents
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 56%468$64,626$589,100$399 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($493K less) · newer homes
Waltham, MA 02452 55%2,653$118,431$808,300$429 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($274K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78704 54%1,319$106,897$916,100$507 cheaper homes ($166K less) · older residents · more walkable
Bellevue, WA 98007 54%919$131,109$1,018,100$543 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Monsey, NY 10952 51%2,514$64,332$863,600$425 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($219K less) · 8 min longer commute
Dillon, CO 80435 51%844$97,463$941,600$927 cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller · older residents
Avon, CO 81620 51%818$102,775$861,500$950 cheaper homes ($221K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98105 51%923$74,349$1,312,100$578 pricier homes ($230K more) · 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Spring Valley, NY 10977 50%2,515$74,451$649,700$403 cheaper homes ($433K less) · 7 min longer commute
Boca Raton, FL 33431 50%2,418$107,896$640,700$427 cheaper homes ($442K less) · smaller · older residents
Denver, CO 80204 50%895$84,829$620,500$401 cheaper homes ($462K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Salt Lake City, UT 84103 50%619$83,916$779,200$375 cheaper homes ($303K less) · smaller · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96822 50%2,472$95,947$1,003,400$551 cheaper homes ($79K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98125 50%927$99,868$874,300$489 cheaper homes ($208K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22204 49%2,369$107,941$688,000$418 cheaper homes ($394K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Tampa, FL 33606 49%2,243$120,729$845,600$551 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($237K less) · smaller
Nashville, TN 37212 49%1,859$95,145$963,800$422 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller · more walkable

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.