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 Bellevue, WA 98004

Bellevue: median income $182,545, home value $2M+*, $915/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Clara, CA 95054 88%706$207,895$1,493,100$922 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · smaller
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 83%707$192,417$1,534,400$906 cheaper homes ($466K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mountain View, CA 94043 78%705$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 cheaper homes ($359K less) · older homes
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 78%708$177,054$1,810,200$1,032 cheaper homes ($190K less) · older homes
Irvine, CA 92618 75%989$145,731$1,283,800$723 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($716K less) · larger
Irvine, CA 92602 72%986$161,620$1,502,000$877 cheaper homes ($498K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Mountain View, CA 94040 72%707$187,781$2M+*$1,570 older homes
Mountain View, CA 94041 72%707$178,558$2M+*$1,250 smaller · older homes
Dallas, TX 75205 71%1,673$181,631$1,706,700$693 cheaper homes ($293K less) · smaller · younger residents
Irvine, CA 92606 71%988$135,598$1,141,100$788 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($859K less) · smaller
Newport Beach, CA 92660 69%992$159,564$2M+*$1,315 older residents · more homeowners · older homes
San Francisco, CA 94105 69%679$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($602K less) · smaller
San Francisco, CA 94107 69%681$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 cheaper homes ($778K less) · 9 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Clara, CA 95051 67%709$196,690$1,680,600$1,278 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · older homes
San Mateo, CA 94404 66%695$192,332$1,714,400$916 cheaper homes ($286K less) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Palo Alto, CA 94304 65%704$154,141$2M+*— lower income ($28K less) · smaller · more renters
Los Angeles, CA 90049 64%956$170,607$2M+*$991 more homeowners · older homes
Playa Vista, CA 90094 62%963$145,744$1,356,000$885 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($644K less) · smaller
Irvine, CA 92614 62%989$122,821$1,076,700$822 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($923K less) · older homes
Washington, DC 20003 61%2,319$159,846$957,700$625 cheaper homes ($1042K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Tustin, CA 92782 61%986$146,080$1,149,200$700 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($851K less) · more homeowners
Irvine, CA 92620 60%989$146,942$1,267,800$801 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($732K less) · larger
Newport Beach, CA 92663 60%992$141,541$2M+*$1,469 lower income ($41K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Studio City, CA 91604 59%952$141,875$1,700,300$822 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($300K less) · 8 min longer commute
San Diego, CA 92109 57%1,056$122,128$1,226,900$1,117 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($773K less) · older homes

* 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.