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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 93108

Santa Barbara: median income $230,419, home value $2M+*, $1,802/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Portola Valley, CA 94028 90%249$250,000+*$2M+*$1,573 smaller
Atherton, CA 94027 78%254$250,000+*$2M+*$2,451 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Saratoga, CA 95070 78%238$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger · more walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90077 77%70$206,319$2M+*$970 younger residents
Los Altos, CA 94022 75%247$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Los Gatos, CA 95030 75%234$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 7 min longer commute · more walkable
Del Mar, CA 92014 74%170$198,823$2M+*$1,248 lower income ($32K less) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 73%73$187,801$2M+*$1,334 lower income ($43K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Los Altos, CA 94024 73%244$250,000+*$2M+*$1,924 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Malibu, CA 90265 72%57$196,742$2M+*$1,167 lower income ($34K less) · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Redwood City, CA 94062 72%255$233,262$2M+*$1,304 larger · younger residents · older homes
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 72%286$246,045$2M+*$1,376 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 70%2,277$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($38K less) · smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 69%443$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($45K less) · larger · newer homes
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 69%68$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($41K less) · larger · younger residents
San Carlos, CA 94070 66%258$240,074$2M+*$1,361 larger · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06831 65%2,522$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 65%85$215,925$2M+*$961 larger · 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Alamo, CA 94507 65%272$250,000+*$2M+*$875 younger residents · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Lafayette, CA 94549 65%277$234,516$2M+*$855 larger · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Newport Coast, CA 92657 64%118$185,042$2M+*$1,653 lower income ($45K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Carmel, CA 93923 64%194$142,474$1,767,800$1,111 lower income ($88K less) · cheaper homes ($232K less)
El Granada, CA 94018 62%266$230,053$1,430,200— cheaper homes ($570K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Mill Valley, CA 94941 62%289$209,870$2M+*$1,120 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Wilson, WY 83014 61%782$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($90K less) · smaller · newer homes

* 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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