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.

Reset

Towns most like San Diego, CA 92130

San Diego: median income $205,680, home value $1,748,100, $883/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Austin, TX 78746 80%1,155$188,414$1,494,300$557 cheaper homes ($254K less) · smaller · older homes
Kirkland, WA 98033 76%1,050$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($256K less) · more walkable · older homes
Park City, UT 84098 70%620$174,119$1,207,200$685 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($541K less) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98029 67%1,039$170,759$1,063,200$525 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($685K less) · smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 65%1,042$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($252K more) · smaller · older residents
Dallas, TX 75205 64%1,184$181,631$1,706,700$693 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · younger residents
Dallas, TX 75225 63%1,183$200,234$1,671,900$496 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · older residents
Redmond, WA 98052 63%1,048$163,460$1,180,600$620 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($568K less) · more renters
Woodinville, WA 98072 63%1,055$175,805$1,122,200$544 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($626K less) · smaller
Houston, TX 77005 62%1,303$229,267$1,395,100$525 cheaper homes ($353K less) · smaller · more walkable
Bellevue, WA 98005 61%1,045$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($229K less) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98027 61%1,035$153,301$996,600$507 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($752K less) · smaller
Vienna, VA 22182 59%2,255$205,108$1,125,900$390 cheaper homes ($622K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98006 58%1,042$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($360K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Sammamish, WA 98074 58%1,044$244,362$1,366,900$554 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($381K less) · smaller
Atlanta, GA 30327 57%1,885$189,250$1,136,500$399 cheaper homes ($612K less) · smaller · older residents
Princeton, NJ 08540 56%2,391$176,983$767,900$431 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($980K less) · 6 min longer commute
Incline Village, NV 89451 56%461$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($287K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98004 56%1,046$182,545$2M+*$915 pricier homes ($252K more) · smaller · more renters
Redmond, WA 98053 56%1,046$192,292$1,213,600$615 cheaper homes ($535K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 53%307$184,979$2M+*$847 pricier homes ($252K more) · smaller · older residents
Nashville, TN 37215 52%1,737$155,863$1,046,500$413 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($702K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78703 52%1,158$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($252K less) · smaller
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 51%312$140,616$1,036,800$526 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($711K less) · older residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 50%2,276$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

* 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.