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 Maria, CA 93454

Santa Maria: median income $81,522, home value $525,000, $402/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seattle, WA 98168 87%871$88,083$548,000$369 older residents
Mesa, AZ 85203 86%504$73,578$439,100$262 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Bremerton, WA 98310 85%881$75,878$440,500$286 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Mesa, AZ 85204 84%505$72,216$351,300$274 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98409 83%853$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Salt Lake City, UT 84116 82%614$66,751$381,300$276 cheaper homes ($144K less)
Portland, OR 97266 82%736$72,577$445,700$302 cheaper homes ($79K less) · older residents
Wenatchee, WA 98801 82%862$81,488$461,200$292 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents
Sparks, NV 89431 81%320$66,592$365,100$294 cheaper homes ($160K less)
Portland, OR 97236 81%736$75,090$436,100$281 cheaper homes ($89K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Salem, OR 97303 81%707$84,871$433,900$263 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older residents
Salem, OR 97305 81%706$66,326$372,200$277 cheaper homes ($153K less)
Salt Lake City, UT 84123 80%609$81,271$464,500$242 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Seattle, WA 98198 80%865$86,239$589,500$361 pricier homes ($65K more) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Ogden, UT 84401 79%632$80,758$439,900$223 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Portland, OR 97230 79%740$75,572$450,700$255 cheaper homes ($74K less) · older residents
Albany, OR 97322 79%683$69,808$352,900$280 cheaper homes ($172K less) · older residents
Kent, WA 98030 79%864$91,761$582,400$319 pricier homes ($57K more) · 8 min longer commute
Oak Harbor, WA 98277 79%930$83,253$499,600$317 cheaper homes ($25K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Vancouver, WA 98661 79%747$76,913$451,500$289 cheaper homes ($74K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Vancouver, WA 98665 79%751$88,559$476,200$274 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents · newer homes
Hollywood, FL 33024 78%2,453$80,061$409,400$349 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger · older residents
Aurora, CO 80010 78%915$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($100K less) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Denver, CO 80219 78%906$68,415$454,600$344 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older homes
Denver, CO 80239 78%918$98,148$429,600$238 cheaper homes ($95K less) · newer homes

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.