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 Margarita, CA 93453

Santa Margarita: median income $78,288, home value $710,000, $721/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cannon Beach, OR 97110 83%753$68,500$790,400$624 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller · older residents
Stateline, NV 89449 80%250$83,988$1,065,700$627 pricier homes ($356K more)
Tavernier, FL 33070 79%2,460$75,436$732,800$797 larger · more homeowners
Waimea, HI 96796 76%2,542$89,205$769,700$627 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents · more renters
Seaside Heights, NJ 08751 75%2,518$77,448$628,500$569 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Chelan, WA 98816 72%863$82,577$499,200$421 cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger · younger residents
Marathon, FL 33050 71%2,440$94,898$747,300$686 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Gardiner, MT 59030 71%843$56,542$593,000$812 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Key Largo, FL 33037 70%2,462$86,533$683,000$582 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Lanai City, HI 96763 70%2,432$92,417$638,400$517 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Southwest Harbor, ME 04679 69%2,776$59,205$428,500$456 cheaper homes ($282K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sedona, AZ 86336 69%482$68,435$774,800$468 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Holualoa, HI 96725 69%2,423$93,346$880,000$586 pricier homes ($170K more) · larger · younger residents
Greenport, NY 11944 68%2,597$85,298$885,800$535 pricier homes ($176K more) · larger · older homes
Islamorada, FL 33036 68%2,457$86,032$1,017,400$728 pricier homes ($307K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Seabrook, NH 03874 66%2,659$82,995$446,100$351 cheaper homes ($264K less) · larger
Kittery, ME 03904 66%2,664$85,084$448,900$448 cheaper homes ($261K less) · larger · younger residents
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 66%2,416$89,775$650,500$438 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · more homeowners
Lakeside, MT 59922 66%928$87,237$657,500$298 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Blowing Rock, NC 28605 65%2,149$76,477$552,400$507 cheaper homes ($158K less) · larger · younger residents
Salisbury, MA 01952 64%2,660$93,361$478,700$408 cheaper homes ($231K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
South Dennis, MA 02660 64%2,705$93,386$559,600$549 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · older residents
Damariscotta, ME 04543 64%2,720$59,423$363,500$431 cheaper homes ($347K less) · younger residents
Whitefish, MT 59937 64%951$75,428$698,200$567 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Salida, CO 81201 64%816$80,248$674,000$428 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents

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.