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 93458

Santa Maria: median income $75,257, home value $511,800, $408/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salem, OR 97305 80%705$66,326$372,200$277 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Sparks, NV 89431 78%320$66,592$365,100$294 cheaper homes ($147K less) · older residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84116 76%616$66,751$381,300$276 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · older residents
West Valley City, UT 84119 76%609$71,378$382,600$248 cheaper homes ($129K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Tacoma, WA 98409 76%853$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · older residents
Spring Valley, NY 10977 75%2,533$74,451$649,700$403 pricier homes ($138K more) · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Aurora, CO 80010 75%918$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($87K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Phoenix, AZ 85040 75%496$60,727$329,800$251 cheaper homes ($182K less) · smaller
Mesa, AZ 85204 75%509$72,216$351,300$274 cheaper homes ($161K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Tacoma, WA 98444 74%849$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · older residents
Salem, OR 97301 73%703$60,422$341,000$260 cheaper homes ($171K less) · older residents · older homes
Dallas, TX 75220 72%1,360$69,843$500,200$388 more apartments and townhomes
Colorado Springs, CO 80916 72%909$67,127$326,300$219 cheaper homes ($186K less)
Mesa, AZ 85203 72%507$73,578$439,100$262 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · older residents
Auburn, WA 98002 72%858$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · older residents
Vancouver, WA 98661 72%747$76,913$451,500$289 cheaper homes ($60K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Aurora, CO 80011 71%921$74,022$409,100$235 cheaper homes ($103K less) · 8 min longer commute
Phoenix, AZ 85035 71%486$60,440$275,600$240 cheaper homes ($236K less) · 5 min longer commute
Gresham, OR 97030 71%737$69,239$435,700$254 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · older residents
Reno, NV 89502 70%316$65,328$413,200$310 cheaper homes ($99K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Lake Worth, FL 33460 69%2,451$62,090$405,400$357 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller · older residents
Ogden, UT 84401 69%634$80,758$439,900$223 cheaper homes ($72K less) · more homeowners
Mesa, AZ 85210 69%506$61,957$337,800$260 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Las Vegas, NV 89108 69%309$59,449$334,100$243 cheaper homes ($178K less) · older residents
Wahiawa, HI 96786 69%2,450$85,554$807,900$511 pricier homes ($296K more) · more apartments and townhomes

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.