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 92131

San Diego: median income $185,256, home value $1,189,100, $659/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Park City, UT 84098 95%619$174,119$1,207,200$685 smaller
Woodinville, WA 98072 91%1,060$175,805$1,122,200$544 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Redmond, WA 98053 86%1,050$192,292$1,213,600$615 smaller · more single-family homes
Austin, TX 78746 85%1,147$188,414$1,494,300$557 pricier homes ($305K more) · more renters
Issaquah, WA 98027 84%1,040$153,301$996,600$507 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($193K less) · more renters
Bellevue, WA 98006 83%1,046$198,150$1,388,500$592 pricier homes ($199K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Atlanta, GA 30327 81%1,878$189,250$1,136,500$399 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Scottsdale, AZ 85255 80%305$140,616$1,036,800$526 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($152K less) · older residents
Bedford, MA 01730 78%2,557$172,400$898,500$496 cheaper homes ($291K less) · smaller · older homes
Vienna, VA 22182 78%2,249$205,108$1,125,900$390 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 5 min longer commute
Nashville, TN 37215 77%1,730$155,863$1,046,500$413 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · smaller
Bothell, WA 98021 77%1,062$183,786$967,700$475 cheaper homes ($221K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 76%2,389$192,857$799,900$439 cheaper homes ($389K less) · 8 min longer commute
Vienna, VA 22181 76%2,247$211,911$998,300$402 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($191K less) · smaller
Brentwood, TN 37027 76%1,732$154,578$931,700$346 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($257K less) · larger
Sammamish, WA 98074 76%1,049$244,362$1,366,900$554 higher income ($59K more) · pricier homes ($178K more) · more single-family homes
Andover, MA 01810 75%2,563$172,606$855,600$412 cheaper homes ($334K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 73%300$184,979$2M+*$847 pricier homes ($811K more) · smaller · older residents
Incline Village, NV 89451 73%466$166,509$1,461,200$763 pricier homes ($272K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Oakton, VA 22124 72%2,246$218,380$998,400$345 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($191K less) · smaller
Wayzata, MN 55391 72%1,507$174,301$923,400$340 cheaper homes ($266K less) · smaller · older residents
Scottsdale, AZ 85259 72%307$137,895$1,011,200$421 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller
Kenmore, WA 98028 72%1,060$139,764$920,800$474 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($268K less) · 5 min longer commute
North Bend, WA 98045 72%1,035$175,765$938,500$494 cheaper homes ($251K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Snoqualmie, WA 98065 72%1,040$198,216$956,600$459 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute

* 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.