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 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Hermosa Beach: median income $166,442, home value $2M+*, $1,247/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06830 71%2,477$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($339K less) · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98112 65%972$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($451K less) · older homes
Seattle, WA 98199 65%975$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · more homeowners
Bellevue, WA 98005 63%970$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($481K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 62%2,347$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Kirkland, WA 98033 62%975$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Austin, TX 78703 59%1,231$153,036$1,495,800$565 cheaper homes ($504K less) · 11 min shorter commute · less walkable
Mercer Island, WA 98040 59%967$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($53K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Seattle, WA 98115 58%976$156,142$1,094,600$578 cheaper homes ($905K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98116 58%970$126,151$973,400$612 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($1027K less) · larger
Alexandria, VA 22301 57%2,306$194,819$1,027,900$616 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($972K less) · younger residents
Newtonville, MA 02460 56%2,597$177,837$1,224,600$588 cheaper homes ($775K less) · smaller · older homes
Washington, DC 20016 56%2,304$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($784K less) · larger · more homeowners
Auburndale, MA 02466 55%2,595$170,089$1,174,000$561 cheaper homes ($826K less) · smaller · younger residents
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 55%2,304$194,971$1,294,200$480 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($706K less) · larger
Falls Church, VA 22046 55%2,299$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($985K less) · less walkable
Miami, FL 33133 54%2,342$103,420$1,022,400$923 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($978K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98103 54%976$131,154$1,044,100$570 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($956K less) · larger
Needham Heights, MA 02494 53%2,596$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Harrison, NY 10528 53%2,473$154,416$937,500$598 cheaper homes ($1063K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Denver, CO 80209 53%844$125,733$1,018,300$513 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($982K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98004 53%971$182,545$2M+*$915 larger · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Summit, NJ 07901 52%2,440$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1012K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Washington, DC 20007 52%2,305$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($708K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, MA 02474 51%2,599$150,560$933,200$598 cheaper homes ($1067K less) · larger · older 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.