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 Sunnyvale, CA 94089

Sunnyvale: median income $158,304, home value $387,800, $1,053/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Miami, FL 33129 56%2,565$113,367$736,300$632 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($349K more) · smaller
Avon, CO 81620 55%850$102,775$861,500$950 lower income ($56K less) · pricier homes ($474K more) · smaller
Reston, VA 20190 54%2,403$134,746$581,400$402 pricier homes ($194K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Miami, FL 33131 54%2,566$144,138$655,100$622 pricier homes ($267K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 53%2,557$124,812$884,800$542 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($497K more) · more renters
Fairfax, VA 22033 51%2,402$143,454$648,800$355 pricier homes ($261K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Charlotte, NC 28209 51%2,278$101,873$623,000$446 lower income ($56K less) · pricier homes ($235K more)
Austin, TX 78701 51%1,472$162,168$722,400$705 pricier homes ($335K more) · smaller · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96813 51%2,408$91,690$819,700$723 lower income ($67K less) · pricier homes ($432K more) · older residents
Secaucus, NJ 07094 50%2,549$139,821$571,900$352 pricier homes ($184K more) · 10 min longer commute · older homes
Bothell, WA 98011 50%715$131,667$933,000$486 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($545K more) · more single-family homes
Reston, VA 20191 48%2,403$151,185$641,800$350 pricier homes ($254K more) · more homeowners · older homes
Miami, FL 33132 48%2,565$109,109$524,300$550 lower income ($49K less) · pricier homes ($137K more) · more renters
Miami, FL 33133 48%2,564$103,420$1,022,400$923 lower income ($55K less) · pricier homes ($635K more) · larger
Miami Beach, FL 33140 48%2,567$107,063$866,900$623 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($479K more) · older homes
Tampa, FL 33606 48%2,372$120,729$845,600$551 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($458K more) · younger residents
Alexandria, VA 22314 47%2,421$148,451$899,000$624 pricier homes ($511K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98007 47%706$131,109$1,018,100$543 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($630K more) · more renters
Seattle, WA 98107 47%710$142,662$953,400$553 pricier homes ($566K more) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Centreville, VA 20121 46%2,399$129,947$520,200$320 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($132K more) · 7 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22206 46%2,418$140,877$586,000$431 pricier homes ($198K more) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Alexandria, VA 22302 46%2,419$123,539$631,100$441 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($243K more) · 5 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98116 46%703$126,151$973,400$612 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($586K more) · 8 min longer commute
Elmsford, NY 10523 45%2,559$118,438$588,100$449 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($200K more) · smaller
Fairfax, VA 22031 45%2,409$134,577$723,600$356 pricier homes ($336K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute

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.