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 Sonoma, CA 95476

Sonoma: median income $105,374, home value $896,900, $609/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Aiea, HI 96701 87%2,404$111,173$941,600$542 pricier homes ($45K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Pearl City, HI 96782 87%2,405$108,669$874,200$603 younger residents
Belmar, NJ 07719 85%2,561$119,828$700,900$488 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96816 83%2,401$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($272K more) · younger residents · older homes
Kaneohe, HI 96744 81%2,396$131,653$1,039,900$690 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($143K more) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98407 81%622$110,288$656,600$414 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller · younger residents
Key Largo, FL 33037 79%2,608$86,533$683,000$582 cheaper homes ($214K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Edmonds, WA 98026 79%660$133,638$821,700$450 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98166 79%633$114,969$824,400$420 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 78%658$130,319$1,031,500$625 pricier homes ($135K more) · smaller
Carbondale, CO 81623 77%824$109,661$913,300$681 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
Danvers, MA 01923 76%2,684$125,395$644,200$428 cheaper homes ($253K less) · younger residents · older homes
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 76%2,563$123,152$627,200$556 cheaper homes ($270K less) · more homeowners
Mililani, HI 96789 76%2,405$127,066$920,400$602 larger · younger residents
Boca Raton, FL 33486 75%2,582$105,540$664,100$530 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98146 75%637$102,520$679,500$451 cheaper homes ($217K less) · younger residents
Eatontown, NJ 07724 74%2,559$102,756$522,100$381 cheaper homes ($375K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Anacortes, WA 98221 74%706$96,528$713,100$419 cheaper homes ($184K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Saugus, MA 01906 73%2,682$101,539$603,400$393 cheaper homes ($294K less) · younger residents · older homes
Peabody, MA 01960 73%2,684$96,501$596,700$406 cheaper homes ($300K less) · larger · younger residents
Scottsdale, AZ 85254 73%670$123,203$785,700$426 cheaper homes ($111K less) · younger residents
Burlington, MA 01803 71%2,672$146,436$740,600$441 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($156K less) · younger residents
Narragansett, RI 02882 71%2,675$95,721$749,700$555 cheaper homes ($147K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westerly, RI 02891 71%2,658$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($427K less) · smaller
Norwalk, CT 06851 71%2,581$111,341$587,400$407 cheaper homes ($310K less) · younger residents · 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.