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 Encinitas, CA 92024

Encinitas: median income $158,507, home value $1,612,000, $993/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kailua, HI 96734 83%2,596$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($244K less) · younger residents
Miami, FL 33156 82%2,272$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($492K less) · smaller
Kirkland, WA 98033 82%1,043$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($120K less)
Bellevue, WA 98008 77%1,037$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($406K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 76%2,443$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · older homes
Woodinville, WA 98072 76%1,048$175,805$1,122,200$544 cheaper homes ($490K less) · smaller
Incline Village, NV 89451 75%454$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Honolulu, HI 96825 74%2,596$153,210$1,088,700$759 cheaper homes ($523K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 74%1,035$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($61K more) · pricier homes ($388K more) · smaller
Boulder, CO 80304 73%821$126,558$1,210,200$619 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($402K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98005 72%1,038$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · younger residents
Issaquah, WA 98027 72%1,028$153,301$996,600$507 cheaper homes ($615K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 71%1,034$198,150$1,388,500$592 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($224K less) · more homeowners
Kirkland, WA 98034 71%1,045$135,219$946,300$565 cheaper homes ($666K less) · younger residents
Austin, TX 78746 70%1,158$188,414$1,494,300$557 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Edmonds, WA 98020 68%1,053$130,319$1,031,500$625 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($581K less) · smaller
Bedford, MA 01730 67%2,562$172,400$898,500$496 cheaper homes ($714K less) · smaller
Cos Cob, CT 06807 66%2,444$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($169K less) · smaller
Port Washington, NY 11050 66%2,439$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($577K less) · smaller · 11 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96816 66%2,602$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($443K less) · older homes
Kenmore, WA 98028 66%1,048$139,764$920,800$474 cheaper homes ($691K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98199 66%1,043$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($413K less) · smaller · more walkable
Needham Heights, MA 02494 65%2,564$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($504K less) · smaller · older homes
Houston, TX 77024 65%1,300$136,149$1,127,500$414 cheaper homes ($485K less)
Nantucket, MA 02554 64%2,626$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 smaller · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family 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.