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 San Diego, CA 92121

San Diego: median income $135,938, home value $1,085,200, $702/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dillon, CO 80435 66%777$97,463$941,600$927 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger
Fraser, CO 80442 66%798$108,387$773,000$512 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($312K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78735 62%1,153$139,191$867,500$323 cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger · older residents
Nashville, TN 37204 61%1,740$109,580$907,500$447 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger
Edwards, CO 81632 58%751$83,712$904,400$790 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($181K less) · larger
Bellevue, WA 98005 58%1,050$160,849$1,519,500$613 pricier homes ($434K more) · larger · more walkable
Breckenridge, CO 80424 57%771$120,907$1,034,600$830 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · older residents
Austin, TX 78730 56%1,152$158,673$1,014,700$360 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · older residents
Telluride, CO 81435 56%633$83,076$982,600$1,306 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($103K less) · older residents
Tampa, FL 33606 55%2,089$120,729$845,600$551 cheaper homes ($240K less) · larger · more walkable
Atlanta, GA 30342 54%1,887$124,111$829,400$318 cheaper homes ($256K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Issaquah, WA 98029 54%1,044$170,759$1,063,200$525 higher income ($35K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 53%780$109,659$1,055,900$750 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Jackson, WY 83001 53%809$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 pricier homes ($584K more) · larger · older residents
Bellevue, WA 98007 53%1,050$131,109$1,018,100$543 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · more renters
Bothell, WA 98011 53%1,059$131,667$933,000$486 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger · older residents
Falls Church, VA 22043 52%2,259$145,881$881,600$456 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · older residents
Charleston, SC 29492 52%2,154$110,509$791,400$409 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($294K less) · larger
Silverthorne, CO 80498 52%773$105,897$824,200$614 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($261K less) · larger
Issaquah, WA 98027 52%1,040$153,301$996,600$507 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger · older residents
Frisco, CO 80443 51%769$108,710$909,000$900 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($176K less) · older residents
Mc Lean, VA 22102 50%2,257$153,949$955,500$417 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger · older residents
Miami, FL 33146 50%2,268$131,500$1,318,200$804 pricier homes ($233K more) · larger · younger residents
Austin, TX 78731 50%1,156$105,494$903,200$420 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger
Boulder, CO 80305 50%824$126,107$1,032,900$578 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · more single-family homes

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.