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 Solvang, CA 93463

Solvang: median income $118,488, home value $1,114,500, $639/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Carbondale, CO 81623 76%782$109,661$913,300$681 cheaper homes ($201K less) · larger · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 75%916$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · more homeowners
Aiea, HI 96701 74%2,461$111,173$941,600$542 cheaper homes ($173K less) · larger · younger residents
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 73%2,532$116,295$927,700$705 cheaper homes ($187K less)
Waialua, HI 96791 71%2,465$97,470$977,400$861 cheaper homes ($137K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Belmar, NJ 07719 70%2,530$119,828$700,900$488 cheaper homes ($414K less) · larger · younger residents
Pearl City, HI 96782 69%2,462$108,669$874,200$603 cheaper homes ($240K less) · larger · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96816 69%2,457$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · younger residents
Tacoma, WA 98407 69%881$110,288$656,600$414 cheaper homes ($458K less) · larger · younger residents
Greenport, NY 11944 68%2,612$85,298$885,800$535 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($229K less) · smaller
Mukilteo, WA 98275 67%924$132,861$884,900$418 cheaper homes ($230K less) · larger · younger residents
Ocean City, NJ 08226 66%2,510$101,782$840,500$816 cheaper homes ($274K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Key Largo, FL 33037 66%2,453$86,533$683,000$582 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($432K less) · larger
Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 65%2,530$126,591$647,400$474 cheaper homes ($467K less) · 13 min longer commute
Summerland Key, FL 33042 65%2,405$103,041$856,500$854 cheaper homes ($258K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 65%783$109,129$798,900$438 cheaper homes ($316K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98166 65%892$114,969$824,400$420 cheaper homes ($290K less) · larger · younger residents
Brigantine, NJ 08203 64%2,521$97,250$524,800$496 cheaper homes ($590K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Edmonds, WA 98026 64%918$133,638$821,700$450 cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger · younger residents
Valhalla, NY 10595 63%2,539$123,438$723,100$451 cheaper homes ($391K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305 63%2,441$92,485$640,400$476 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($474K less) · larger
Stateline, NV 89449 63%299$83,988$1,065,700$627 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Reno, NV 89511 63%330$124,130$916,600$484 cheaper homes ($198K less) · larger · younger residents
Steilacoom, WA 98388 63%874$100,851$655,000$377 cheaper homes ($460K less) · younger residents
Danvers, MA 01923 62%2,675$125,395$644,200$428 cheaper homes ($470K 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.