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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 Barbara, CA 93105

Santa Barbara: median income $138,286, home value $1,663,000, $1,110/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Barbara, CA 93109 86%2$123,347$1,882,500$1,451 pricier homes ($220K more) · smaller · younger residents
Santa Barbara, CA 93111 84%4$144,353$1,296,700$1,017 cheaper homes ($366K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Santa Barbara, CA 93103 82%3$122,159$1,663,600$1,148 younger residents
Coronado, CA 92118 79%191$134,534$2M+*$1,435 pricier homes ($337K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Redwood City, CA 94061 78%252$146,265$1,900,500$1,263 pricier homes ($238K more) · larger · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 77%2,530$146,654$1,660,700$858 9 min longer commute
La Jolla, CA 92037 77%180$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 pricier homes ($296K more) · larger · newer homes
Palo Alto, CA 94303 77%249$151,609$1,826,200$1,065 pricier homes ($163K more) · larger · younger residents
Santa Barbara, CA 93110 76%2$129,209$1,199,500$987 cheaper homes ($464K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Millbrae, CA 94030 76%265$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($272K more) · 10 min longer commute
San Mateo, CA 94402 76%260$172,522$2M+*$1,372 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($337K more) · younger residents
Pasadena, CA 91105 75%92$156,791$1,671,000$841 smaller · 7 min longer commute · more walkable
Newport Beach, CA 92660 75%120$159,564$2M+*$1,315 pricier homes ($337K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Saint Helena, CA 94574 75%320$139,474$1,637,800$1,017 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Sierra Madre, CA 91024 74%98$143,547$1,226,800$764 cheaper homes ($436K less) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Glendale, CA 91208 74%87$136,892$1,421,200$722 cheaper homes ($242K less) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Westlake Village, CA 91361 74%55$144,900$1,433,300$676 cheaper homes ($230K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Solana Beach, CA 92075 74%173$149,327$2M+*$1,136 pricier homes ($337K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Greenbrae, CA 94904 74%289$169,118$2M+*$894 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($337K more) · smaller
El Segundo, CA 90245 72%83$150,737$1,587,500$1,110 cheaper homes ($76K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Encinitas, CA 92024 72%171$158,507$1,612,000$993 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
San Bruno, CA 94066 72%267$141,272$1,207,500$927 cheaper homes ($456K less) · larger · younger residents
San Mateo, CA 94403 72%258$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($83K more) · larger
San Rafael, CA 94901 72%289$115,330$1,512,600$730 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · younger residents
San Rafael, CA 94903 72%295$142,083$1,197,300$722 cheaper homes ($466K less) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners

* 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.

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