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 Del Mar, CA 92014

Del Mar: median income $198,823, home value $2M+*, $1,248/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 84%1,041$219,069$2M+*$799 larger · younger residents
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 75%308$184,979$2M+*$847 more single-family homes
Incline Village, NV 89451 72%460$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less)
Charlotte, NC 28207 69%2,078$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($591K less) · younger residents
Dallas, TX 75225 65%1,185$200,234$1,671,900$496 cheaper homes ($328K less) · larger · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06831 63%2,443$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · younger residents
Wellesley, MA 02482 62%2,563$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($648K less) · younger residents
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 62%2,163$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78746 62%1,156$188,414$1,494,300$557 cheaper homes ($506K less) · larger · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 60%805$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($58K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Cos Cob, CT 06807 59%2,446$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 59%2,159$192,813$2M+*$1,204 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Bellevue, WA 98008 59%1,043$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02421 58%2,566$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · 10 min longer commute
Kirkland, WA 98033 58%1,049$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96821 57%2,600$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Medina, WA 98039 57%1,046$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 higher income ($51K more) · smaller · younger residents
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 56%2,258$172,500$1,131,800$998 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($868K less) · smaller
Park City, UT 84060 56%619$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 lower income ($71K less) · cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller
Needham Heights, MA 02494 55%2,566$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 54%2,447$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($51K more) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 54%2,278$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Bellevue, WA 98006 54%1,041$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($612K less) · larger · younger residents
Concord, MA 01742 53%2,559$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($782K less) · younger residents · 11 min longer commute
Greenwich, CT 06830 53%2,444$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger

* 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.