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.

Reset

Towns most like Santa Clara, CA 95050

Santa Clara: median income $138,466, home value $1,464,700, $1,067/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Miami, FL 33133 73%2,562$103,420$1,022,400$923 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($442K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 72%709$160,849$1,519,500$613 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98119 70%711$123,551$1,047,600$594 cheaper homes ($417K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Greenwich, CT 06830 69%2,567$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($196K more) · smaller · older residents
Bellevue, WA 98007 67%710$131,109$1,018,100$543 cheaper homes ($447K less) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98116 67%707$126,151$973,400$612 cheaper homes ($491K less) · 9 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98103 66%714$131,154$1,044,100$570 cheaper homes ($421K less)
Kailua, HI 96734 64%2,400$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($97K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Denver, CO 80209 62%931$125,733$1,018,300$513 cheaper homes ($446K less)
Honolulu, HI 96822 62%2,408$95,947$1,003,400$551 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($461K less) · older residents
Kirkland, WA 98034 61%717$135,219$946,300$565 cheaper homes ($518K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Alexandria, VA 22305 60%2,418$113,537$864,500$521 cheaper homes ($600K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Redmond, WA 98052 60%713$163,460$1,180,600$620 cheaper homes ($284K less) · larger · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98125 60%717$99,868$874,300$489 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($590K less) · 5 min longer commute
Waltham, MA 02453 58%2,672$115,366$705,100$473 cheaper homes ($760K less) · older homes
Miami Beach, FL 33140 58%2,564$107,063$866,900$623 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($598K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98144 58%707$96,969$901,700$489 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($563K less) · 6 min longer commute
Denver, CO 80211 57%929$121,439$807,100$442 cheaper homes ($658K less)
Honolulu, HI 96816 57%2,408$114,609$1,168,800$730 cheaper homes ($296K less) · older residents · more homeowners
New York, NY 10038 56%2,552$105,419$921,900$1,006 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($543K less) · smaller
Harrison, NY 10528 56%2,563$154,416$937,500$598 cheaper homes ($527K less) · smaller · 13 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 55%2,677$135,286$1,149,800$931 cheaper homes ($315K less) · smaller · 11 min longer commute
White Plains, NY 10606 55%2,560$112,270$682,300$492 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($782K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78703 55%1,467$153,036$1,495,800$565 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Phoenix, AZ 85018 55%621$93,885$862,000$517 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($603K less) · more homeowners

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.