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 Kailua, HI 96734

Kailua: median income $132,782, home value $1,367,600, $904/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Ana, CA 92705 93%2,573$129,331$1,203,400$713 cheaper homes ($164K less)
San Bruno, CA 94066 91%2,381$141,272$1,207,500$927 cheaper homes ($160K less)
San Jose, CA 95118 90%2,402$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 pricier homes ($127K more) · smaller
Palo Alto, CA 94303 89%2,393$151,609$1,826,200$1,065 pricier homes ($459K more)
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 88%2,558$135,851$1,215,400$740 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller
Orange, CA 92867 87%2,570$130,741$1,015,000$661 cheaper homes ($353K less)
South San Francisco, CA 94080 87%2,382$136,733$1,188,700$848 cheaper homes ($179K less)
Santa Cruz, CA 95060 87%2,385$108,591$1,207,200$785 cheaper homes ($160K less)
San Jose, CA 95125 87%2,402$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($327K more) · more walkable
Long Beach, CA 90815 86%2,554$119,716$927,900$744 cheaper homes ($440K less) · older homes
San Diego, CA 92120 86%2,605$120,661$924,900$654 cheaper homes ($443K less) · smaller
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 86%2,576$133,194$1,063,300$666 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95123 86%2,405$144,276$1,166,800$788 cheaper homes ($201K less)
Daly City, CA 94015 85%2,380$127,056$1,165,500$766 cheaper homes ($202K less) · less walkable
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 85%2,407$142,586$1,076,600$621 cheaper homes ($291K less)
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 84%2,531$132,854$1,208,200$605 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller
San Rafael, CA 94901 84%2,384$115,330$1,512,600$730 pricier homes ($145K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Petaluma, CA 94952 84%2,382$117,343$1,041,100$656 cheaper homes ($327K less) · older residents
Encinitas, CA 92024 83%2,596$158,507$1,612,000$993 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($244K more) · older residents
San Diego, CA 92117 83%2,598$103,661$981,200$819 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($386K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Orange, CA 92869 83%2,573$138,204$994,400$645 cheaper homes ($373K less)
Fremont, CA 94536 83%2,402$167,662$1,287,800$932 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($80K less) · 6 min longer commute
Arcadia, CA 91006 82%2,564$123,533$1,260,000$688 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · older residents
Pasadena, CA 91107 82%2,560$126,449$1,155,300$793 cheaper homes ($212K less) · smaller · older residents
Pacifica, CA 94044 82%2,378$160,408$1,249,800$896 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · older residents

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.