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 Solana Beach, CA 92075

Solana Beach: median income $149,327, home value $2M+*, $1,136/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Incline Village, NV 89451 80%458$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less)
Park City, UT 84060 74%617$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 cheaper homes ($205K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Greenwich, CT 06830 72%2,444$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger · younger residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 71%2,278$181,505$1,575,300$994 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($425K less) · younger residents
Boulder, CO 80304 68%823$126,558$1,210,200$619 cheaper homes ($790K less) · larger · younger residents
Mercer Island, WA 98040 67%1,039$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($70K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Kirkland, WA 98033 66%1,047$182,500$1,491,700$742 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78703 62%1,160$153,036$1,495,800$565 cheaper homes ($504K less) · larger · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98005 62%1,042$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($481K less) · larger · younger residents
Nantucket, MA 02554 60%2,627$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 cheaper homes ($404K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Miami, FL 33156 59%2,271$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($880K less) · larger · younger residents
Boca Raton, FL 33432 59%2,266$107,045$1,052,700$856 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($947K less) · larger
Edmonds, WA 98020 59%1,058$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($969K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 58%309$184,979$2M+*$847 higher income ($36K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Needham Heights, MA 02494 57%2,566$179,720$1,107,700$530 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($892K less) · younger residents
Charlotte, NC 28207 57%2,079$217,204$1,409,300$595 higher income ($68K more) · cheaper homes ($591K less) · more homeowners
Naples, FL 34102 57%2,173$130,929$2M+*$974 older residents · less walkable
Bellevue, WA 98008 57%1,041$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 56%2,424$116,295$927,700$705 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($1072K less) · older residents
Dallas, TX 75225 56%1,185$200,234$1,671,900$496 higher income ($51K more) · cheaper homes ($328K less) · larger
Vail, CO 81657 56%762$100,573$1,501,800$1,169 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($498K less) · smaller
Cos Cob, CT 06807 55%2,446$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($43K more) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 54%2,258$172,500$1,131,800$998 cheaper homes ($868K less) · smaller · older residents
Houston, TX 77024 54%1,299$136,149$1,127,500$414 cheaper homes ($873K less) · larger · younger residents
Austin, TX 78746 54%1,157$188,414$1,494,300$557 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($506K 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.