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 Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007

Cardiff By The Sea: median income $182,629, home value $2M+*, $1,307/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Incline Village, NV 89451 76%456$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less) · older residents
Mercer Island, WA 98040 76%1,037$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($36K more) · larger · older residents
Kirkland, WA 98033 73%1,045$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger · more walkable
Cos Cob, CT 06807 71%2,446$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · 8 min longer commute · older homes
Nantucket, MA 02554 68%2,627$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($404K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 68%1,040$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($481K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06830 67%2,444$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 64%2,279$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Bellevue, WA 98008 64%1,039$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Austin, TX 78746 63%1,158$188,414$1,494,300$557 cheaper homes ($506K less) · larger
Jackson, WY 83001 62%803$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($331K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98199 61%1,045$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · larger · more walkable
Austin, TX 78703 60%1,161$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($504K less) · larger
Park City, UT 84060 60%616$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($205K less) · older residents
Kailua, HI 96734 60%2,595$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($632K less) · larger
Boulder, CO 80304 59%823$126,558$1,210,200$619 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($790K less) · larger
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 58%309$184,979$2M+*$847 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Woodinville, WA 98072 58%1,050$175,805$1,122,200$544 cheaper homes ($878K less) · larger
Needham Heights, MA 02494 57%2,566$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · 6 min longer commute
Montauk, NY 11954 57%2,532$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller
Dallas, TX 75205 57%1,187$181,631$1,706,700$693 cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger · younger residents
Madison, NJ 07940 56%2,403$172,708$940,900$609 cheaper homes ($1059K less) · larger · younger residents
Charlotte, NC 28207 55%2,079$217,204$1,409,300$595 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($591K less) · older residents
Miami, FL 33156 55%2,272$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($880K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06831 54%2,442$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($45K more) · cheaper homes ($304K 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.