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 Salinas, CA 93901

Salinas: median income $91,233, home value $788,300, $513/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Honolulu, HI 96819 90%2,412$99,848$954,600$477 pricier homes ($166K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98168 85%748$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($240K less)
Seattle, WA 98108 84%752$95,780$720,400$423 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more homeowners
Everett, WA 98201 81%783$74,554$499,800$384 cheaper homes ($289K less)
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 80%769$107,687$667,100$438 cheaper homes ($121K less) · more homeowners
Glen Cove, NY 11542 79%2,571$93,242$702,400$499 cheaper homes ($86K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33166 79%2,534$81,581$530,300$453 cheaper homes ($258K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98198 79%742$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($199K less) · 7 min longer commute
Woburn, MA 01801 78%2,679$111,185$673,500$456 cheaper homes ($115K less) · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33138 78%2,539$75,051$784,700$560 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 78%2,533$88,309$498,100$404 cheaper homes ($290K less) · smaller
Long Branch, NJ 07740 77%2,559$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($210K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 77%2,532$75,361$469,700$375 cheaper homes ($319K less) · more homeowners
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 77%923$89,627$609,800$331 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older residents
Denver, CO 80214 77%924$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($229K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98148 77%745$87,342$607,900$331 cheaper homes ($180K less) · smaller
Tacoma, WA 98466 77%731$101,778$602,400$351 cheaper homes ($186K less)
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 76%2,546$101,740$483,700$369 cheaper homes ($305K less) · more homeowners
Bound Brook, NJ 08805 75%2,528$93,341$417,800$331 cheaper homes ($371K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80226 75%923$82,300$568,300$267 cheaper homes ($220K less)
Seattle, WA 98133 75%766$93,662$770,300$459 larger
Seattle, WA 98146 75%749$102,520$679,500$451 cheaper homes ($109K less) · more homeowners
Stamford, CT 06906 74%2,574$93,675$596,800$402 cheaper homes ($192K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Key West, FL 33040 74%2,494$86,586$819,400$824 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Portland, OR 97222 74%608$83,119$490,900$316 cheaper homes ($297K less) · more homeowners

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.