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 Clara, CA 95051

Santa Clara: median income $196,690, home value $1,680,600, $1,278/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bellevue, WA 98005 71%709$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98004 67%709$182,545$2M+*$915 pricier homes ($319K more) · smaller · newer homes
Kirkland, WA 98033 67%714$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · older residents
Redmond, WA 98052 67%713$163,460$1,180,600$620 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($500K less) · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06830 64%2,569$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($50K less) · smaller · older residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 60%2,568$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · older residents
Dallas, TX 75205 60%1,454$181,631$1,706,700$693 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Austin, TX 78703 57%1,468$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98103 57%714$131,154$1,044,100$570 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($637K less)
Seattle, WA 98115 56%714$156,142$1,094,600$578 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($586K less) · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98199 56%712$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($482K less) · smaller · more homeowners
New York, NY 10021 53%2,555$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($303K less) · smaller
Alexandria, VA 22301 53%2,421$194,819$1,027,900$616 cheaper homes ($653K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Kailua, HI 96734 53%2,399$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($313K less) · more homeowners
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 52%2,678$169,104$1,339,100$622 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($342K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10028 52%2,556$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($78K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
New York, NY 10065 52%2,555$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($261K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33146 52%2,561$131,500$1,318,200$804 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($362K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98112 52%711$171,572$1,549,100$681 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($132K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, NY 11201 51%2,555$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 cheaper homes ($570K less) · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Bellevue, WA 98007 51%710$131,109$1,018,100$543 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($663K less) · smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 51%706$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($319K more) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98116 51%707$126,151$973,400$612 lower income ($71K less) · cheaper homes ($707K less) · smaller
Auburndale, MA 02466 50%2,674$170,089$1,174,000$561 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10023 50%2,554$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($323K less) · older residents

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.